A Sampling Study Of Shandong Writers' Novels In The New Era Of Confucius And Mencius' "Benevolence" Thoughts

In the New period Shandong writers have made remarkable achievements in novel writing,which is a very important part of Chinese contemporary literature history.Correspondingly,the research on the novel creation of this period by literary critics covers all aspects and multiple perspectives,except for the interpretation from the view of Confucius and Mencius' "benevolence" ideology.This thesis intends to do sampling research on the novels of Shandong writers from the view of the Confucius and Mencius' "benevolence" theory by adopting some comprehensive research methods such as culturology,psychology,narratology,etc.Confucius and Mencius' "benevolence" is the core and essence of the Confucian culture,which impacts our thoughts and actions in a hidden way in the historical development process.Shandong writers usually grow up in Shandong province——the hometown of Confucius and Mencius,where benevolence thought's influence and spread is obviously superior to other regional culture.Since Shandong writers immerged in the cultural environment of "benevolence" ideology from childhood,they understood Confucius' "the benevolent loves others" thought more profoundly than those who live in other regions,and the benevolence thought were gradually internalized to the depths of their souls,thus forming their concept of creation with benevolence as the core.On the "benevolence" theoretical basis this thesis explains how Shandong writers establish a benevolent,natural,warm and harmonious literature world from the perspective of Confucius and Mencius' "benevolence" thought.In order to focus the study,the present author selects the novels of four Shandong writers——Zhang Wei,Mo Yan,You fengwei,liu yutang as the research object.This thesis consists of three parts: introduction,body and conclusion.Thebody part is divided into six chapters.Introduction: Firstly,the author confines the selection of the writers and their works on the basis of the concept of "Shandong writers" ——writers who grew up in Shandong province.Secondly,the author points out the deficiency that exists in the current study through the discussion on the significance of the topic.Thirdly,the author summarizes the research status of Shandong writers' novel by literature academics in the new period.Although scholars analyze Shandong writers' novels in the new period from multiple angles,they lack analysis from the perspective of the Confucius and Mencius' "benevolence" thought.In this situation it is imperative to appreciate and evaluate Shandong writers' novels from the perspective of Confucius and Mencius' "benevolence" thought.Finally,the author provides specific research methods and research mission of this thesis.Due to the nature of the topic itself,it will naturally involve in the pre-Qin Confucian and Mencius thought,psychology,culturology,narratology,ect.So it is necessary to use theoretical knowledge of several subjects and comprehensive research perspective to explore the current topic.Chapter1: Analysis of the connotation of "Benevolence" thought from multi-angle and discussion of the subjective identity difference(unique understanding of different writers).The connotation of "Benevolence" thought is broad and rich,which is consists four layers of meaning.The first section is "love" and "universal love"----the concept of “fraternity thought”."Benevolence" begins with the natural emotion——“filial piety and fraternal duty” in the family and gradually rises to the widespread human love—— "fraternity".The second section is the rationality of the desire."Desire" here mainly refers to the natural demand existing in human nature without moral connotation.In Confucius and Mencius' thought one's physiological desire is accepted,so the natural desire of individual life is rational universally.However,the also thought that not all desires should deserve to be fulfilled,which should follow social and moral standard.The premise of "Benevolence" thoughts' spread and practice is to meet people's desire.It's reasonable for theconnotation of Confucian "love",Mencius "the people is important" to fulfill the basic need of people's material and spiritual life.The third section is the social ethics based on "harmony".In Confucius and Mencius' ethics thought "harmony" is one of the core concept which relates to the standard of conduct one should obey in society.It is the principle of social construction,the goal to enhance one's individual qualities and the lifelong political ideal pursued by the governors."Harmony" contains institutional and ethical mode which is conductive to the orderly development of the society.The fourth section is the ecological ethics of "awe for nature".In ancient society the social ethical order were constructed from the point of view Confucius and Mencius “benevolence”thought and the principle of “Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you ".“Awe for nature” ethics was established in natural world because under the advocacy of the benevolence thought of Confucius and Mencius,nature is not only the material environment for survival of human beings,but also the spiritual home of human beings.Everything that exists continually in nature should also be included in the “benevolence " value system,which shows respect and compassion for the natural life.The fifth section is the subjective identity difference.Shandong writers have been living in Shandong province and are influenced by the "benevolence" thought.However,the writers' growing environment,living experience,degree of education,emotional experience and value priority may be different,so their recognition of the "benevolence" thought are different.They may uphold their unique insights and thought,absorb western humanistic spirit and integrate traditional cultural essence from Taoist and Buddhist thought.Their unique individual "benevolence" thought and creative ideas are formed so as to build a brilliant and meaningful literary world.Chapter2: Probe into "Benevolence" cultural mentality and ecological narration in Zhangwei's novel writing.From the perspective of Confucian culture the study interprets the text of Zhangwei on multiple levels.His novels are permeated with strong traditional cultural connotations,originate from"benevolence"—core value of Confucius and Mencius' thought,blend Taoism's“return to simplicity",the Buddhist Compassion and kindness,the humorous folk culture,western humanism,and moral ideal and suffering consciousness of Russian literature.All these cultural factors together impact on formation and development of Zhangwei's novel creation thought,and shape his unique humanistic values.Zhangwei constructs his own unique literary Kingdom with these factors as cultural resources in order to build a spiritual home which is regressive and beyond the tradition for the modern people.As an intellectual rich in Kong Meng ideas of going into the society,Zhangwei bears double suffering of spirit and physics on the lonely journey toward the spiritual"Plateau" to seek for the inheritance and reconstruction of Confucian culture.Chapter 3: Observe and study the "benevolence" thought in Moyan's novels from the perspective of life desire narration.Moyan grow up in the local traditional culture,so he has deep native complex in his subconscious.He always explores the history,reality and human nature with "love" and"compassion” feelings because he identifies cultural patterns and value orientation of Confucius and Mencius "benevolence" thought from the depths of his soul.He not only absorbs the essence of the humanities in western civilization,but also inherits the quintessence of Chinese traditional culture,and in ideological implication and text form of the novel writing,he tends to convey traditional cultural connotation.In this chapter the author mainly discusses Moyan's obedience to “Desire rationality”—one of the connotation in"benevolence" thought,that is,as human,meeting natural desire is the basic craving,which embodies in the desire for life and writing of life force,and shapes typical characters who are kind hearted,upright and open-minded to complete the creation intention.Chapter4: Interpretation of “righteousness” narration of You Fengwei's novels.Under the influence of Confucius and Mencius culture,You Fengwei bears thoughts of historical mission and responsibility with the compassion of a real intellectual to perceive the heaviness and depth of history.His concern isunimportant people's survival state and spiritual misery.The people are often forgotten,desolated and obscured by the mainstream historical discourse.He holds alternative and negative attitude towards the historical writing in mainstream discourse as he believes that the historical judgment in mainstream discourse tends to shade the truth of history.You Fengwei casts compassionate eyes to the wrinkles of history,explores living history truth abandoned by the mainstream discourse and has insight into essence of human nature among the life of being hurt and insulted in the depths of history with a heart of love.Chapter5: Analysis of "Love and harmony" narration in Liuyutang's novels.Adhering to Confucius "harmony is the most precious" social ideal and creative ideas,Liuyutang creates Yimeng mountain native-soil literary world which is rich in "benevolence","harmony" the warm,humorous and tolerant atmosphere.His works are based on regional culture of Love and harmony as ideological resource.Using Yimeng Mountain culture heritage as foundation,Liuyutang breaks through the traditional limitations of the modernity transformation to construct his literary world.Yimeng Mountain is a famous old revolutionary base area with unique revolutionary cultural connotation.Having strong sense of responsibility and sense of mission,Liuyutang is committed to show the revolutionary spirit connotation and cultural heritage of this area and write Yimeng mountain people's survival situation.Chapter6: Aesthetic features of Shandong novels in the new era illuminated by "Benevolence".Confucius cultural tradition has its own history of development.The humanitarian spirit elucidated by the Confucius "benevolence",the suffering consciousness for the country and people,and enhancing self-cultivation which is helpful for an individual to realize his life ideal,are all positive in Confucius and Mencius' ideas.Guided by their "benevolence" thought in the new period Shandong writers created a large number of works whose aesthetic style present both individuality andsimilarity.As a whole,the aesthetic characteristics of the novel creation have strong humanistic spirit,suffering consciousness concerning about nation and hometown and placid aesthetic style.Conclusion: studying Shandong writers' novels imbued with Confucius and Mencius' "benevolence" in the new period can help the people feel the infinite charm of Confucius and Mencius' "benevolence" ideology.However,Shandong writers couldn't realize the new aesthetic transcending because they adhere to the traditional culture of Confucius and Mencius and morals,which brings the unavoidable limitation for the fiction creation,and affects the breakthrough of Shandong writers' aesthetic thought and creative development of fiction creation.Pursuing and exploring beliefs and humanitarianism with universal value,and reflecting profoundly and interpreting Confucius and Mencius' "benevolence" thought with glorious history perhaps has important implications for the value belonging,moral reconstruction and cultural remodeling in today's world.In the era of promoting both modern system and culture,Confucius and Mencius' "benevolence" thought may really become the spiritual strength to push forward the historical process.Digging into the significance of classic modern national culture is consistent with academe's thinking and revaluation of Chinese literature in the modern context.The value system after revaluation will lead the human into a new era and make the Chinese literature be fragrant in the forest of the world culture.