Research On The Modern Transformation Of The Theory And Criticism Of The Newspapers And Novels In The Late Qing Dynasty

This dissertation focuses on the role and performance of literary newspapers or novel periodicals,in the process of promoting the modern transformation of Novel Theory Criticism during the period from 1840 to 1911,especially from 1872 to 1911.It takes the Late Qing Dynasty(a historical period with transitional characteristics)as the research background,and the novel periodicals as the research angle,which emerged in the late Qing Dynasty as the literature dissemination carrier.A historical perspective is adopted to outline the development and evolution of the late Qing literature(focusing on novel creation and novel theory criticism),highlightingthe innovation,development and evolution of novel idea,novel creation and dissemination carrier in the late Qing Dynasty.In particular,it pays special attention to the typical and atypical characteristics during the critical transition from tradition to modernity in Chinese novel theory criticism,exploring the characteristics and rules of the development of Novel Theory Criticism,presenting the novel theorists of the late Qing Dynasty in the New Media Era,the fusion and resistance in the process of blending and mixing between the east and the west,and how they actively to make various adjustments to adapt to the changing circumstances of the Times and the inherent laws of literary development,thus it reflects the complex and diversified characteristics of the theory criticism in the transition period.The dynamic process of the formation and development of the original novel criticism,which is obscured by the ideology,will be restored,and the real value of the theory criticism in the special transitional period will be further grasped.This dissertation adopts the combination of vertical and horizontal,macro and micro research ideas.Firstly,in the vertical direction,it combs the interactive relationship between the prosperity of newspapers and periodicals in the late Qing Dynasty and the development of novel theory criticism.In the horizontal direction,it focuses on the significance of the combination of newspaper and novel theory criticism in the late Qing Dynasty,such as the momentum change of the newspaper and novel theory criticism in that period,the formation and dissemination,the relation between the tradition novel criticism mode and the new change and so on.Secondly,it adopts the research thinking from macro perspective to micro perspective.This dissertation focuses on the diversified characteristics of the blending of Chinese and Western in the theoretical criticism of novels in the late Qing Dynasty and the alternation of the old and the new.The relationship between the stage demarcation of the development of newspapers and periodicals in late Qing Dynasty and the reform of novel theory criticism belongs to a macro-research on the significance of the combination of newspaper and novel theory criticism in the perspective of political enlightenment.However,in the light of the inheritance of the traditional mode of novel criticism and its new transformation into a research perspective,we can observe the series of influences of the newspapers and periodicals on the development and reform of the novel theory criticism in the late Qing Dynasty and study the status of the newspaper in the late Qing Dynasty and the significance of the literary thought to the modernity construction of the novel theory criticism,which belongs to a microscopic study.This dissertation includes following seven chapters:Chapter one focuses on reviewing the development of traditional novel theory criticism based on the principle of tracing to the source.Firstly,having originated from classical novel theory criticism,the evolution process of ancient novel concept and theoretical criticism form are further clarified through the comparison of novel theory propositions of the same period in history and the comparison of expatiation of different periods.Secondly,this dissertation,beginning with Wei-Jin Dynasty(220-420),combs the connotation and category of novel theoretical criticism in different stages,and fully excavates the significance of literary transformation to the spreading and expansion of novel theoretical criticism.That is how we can explore the role of theoretical criticism in promoting or hindering the growth of fiction and explore the underlying reasons in ways to summarize the law of theoretical development and provide inspiration for the study of theoretical criticism of modern fiction.The second chapter stresses the relationship between newspapers and periodicals in the late Qing Dynasty and the potential reform of novel theory criticism from 1840 to 1895.This chapter takes 1872 as a new defining moment of combining novel and newspaper carrier,and divides it into two periods to discuss.From 1840 to 1872,the continuation of the traditional theoretical criticism of fiction,literature reform needs to follow the inherent law of development.During this period,their creative ideas and communication means did not change clearly due to the turbulent political situation.The form and connotation continued the traditional criticism mode,but the micro-variable factors cannot be ignored.From 1872 to 1895,the emergence of newspaper carriers prompted the theoretical criticism of modern fiction to gain momentum for reform.1872 witnessed the first meeting between Chinese and Western novel concepts by the publication of "Shenbao"(the Beginning of Modern Chinese Newspapers).Among others,"Narrative:Xinxi Chat" had a theoretical vision of "modern" significance,while "Flowers on the Sea" was regarded as a "deliberate proposition,planned revolution".The brand-new mode of newspaper and magazine communication heralded the arrival of new prospects for the development of novel in ways that developed infinite possibilities for the transformation of theoretical criticism of modern novel.The third chapter emphasizes the relationship between newspapers and periodicals in the late Qing Dynasty and the theory of "novel revolution",focusing on the pioneering significance of two theoretical advocacy related to novel.In 1895,Fryer John(Educational missionaries,translators and philanthropists in Britain),launching a campaign of collecting essays about seeking new novels",becaome the forerunner of condemning novels.It was a pioneer to improve society with novel as its purpose and incline to social reality.It also had a significant influence on the promotion of the proposition of Hundred Days Reform.Liang Qichao put forward the theory of "novel revolution" for a long time.From the upsurge of running newspapers during the Reform Movement of 1898,the far-reaching influence of Huang Zunxian's advocacy of "unity of words and writing",Kang Youwei,Yan Fu and Xia Zengyou's attention and praise to the novel,to Liang Qichao's advocacy of "new people theory" aroused warm response and resonance among literati in the late Qing Dynasty.All laid a solid theoretical foundation for the origin of the "novel revolution".The fourth chapter accentuates the relationship between the journals and newspapers in late Qing dynasty and the criticism theory generation and spread of modern fictions.Under the guidance of "Revolution of Novels" by Liang Qichao,A great number of Late-Qing fiction journals and magazines led by New Novel began to gain their popularity,which not only opened up a prosperous situation in the novel translation but also promoted the modern transformation of novel conceptions,theoretical forms and categories and novel criticism modes.Each novel had its own relatively distinctive characteristics,and could actively participate in the productive process of novel theory with its own "space",which exerted a unique influence on the spread of novel theory.Meanwhile,these novel journals served as a bridge connecting editors,authors,critics and readers to spare interactive room for the agreement,argument or opposition about the novel theoretical conceptions as well as promote the modern process of novel theory in the acceptance of them and reaction to them.The fifth chapter stresses the relationship between late Qing newspapers and journals and the contemporary evolution of traditional preface and postscript criticism theory.The context in criticism of the late Qing Dynasty had started its transformation and produced new media carriers of newspapers and journals,the living space of the traditional preface and postscript criticism of novels had not been compressed or abandoned,though.On the contrary,it still maintains full vitality in the late Qing Dynasty.As the literary status of novels shifted from the marginalization to the center,new connotations were also given to the function of traditional preface and postscript criticism in the special context of the late Qing Dynasty,which broke through the single practical function of preface and postscript in ancient novels and transcends the traditional "micro-criticism".It enabled the seeking of the current and future direction of the novel conception with a broader perspective of criticism.In particular,the great emergence of prefaces and postscripts in e-c translated novels expanded the function of traditional novels'prefaces and postscripts in style and criticism so that new changes had been produced in form,style and way of creation that were different from the traditional ones.The sixth chapter underlines the study on the relationship between late Qing newspapers and journals and the change and development of traditional punctuation and annotation criticism.Under the influence of the late Qing newspapers and journals,the traditional punctuation and annotation criticism had experienced the dual influence of the traditional literature and the foreign novels,which triggered changes in the object and form of punctuation and annotation criticism,the additional function of punctuation and annotation criticism,the relationship between the reviewer and the author,and the reviewer and the translator.In the promotion of the"Revolution of Novels" theory,the translation and criticism of the foreign novels,the imitation of the artistic skills of the foreign novels,the traditional punctuation and annotation criticism of novels formed a large number of strongly speculative comments based on the criticism perspective blending traditional grammar criticism with western theoretical terms.Especially,the novelists in the late Qing Dynasty intentionally used the scientifically comparative thinking to learn from both the past and the present,which not only had an great significance for the enlightenment of the later literary researchers to get rid of the traditional closed "self-referential"vision,but also had a positive effect on broadening the research perspective of literary theory and enriching literary research methods.It also marked that the new criticism standard with a world vision had been established in the study of Chinese literature.At the same time,the evolution in traditional punctuation and annotation criticism of novels had a nonnegligible impact on the novel critics and creation conception during and after the "May 4th" period.The seventh chapter focuses on the study of the relationship between the late Qing newspapermen and the modern construction of novel theory criticism.As the pioneers in the wave of "Novel Revolution",some elite intellectuals with Liang Qichao,Yan Fu and Huang Zunxian as representative figures have endeavored to bring about a new fashion to late Qing novel circle through practical commitment to writing practice or theoretical discussion.But with their contributions remained in the level of advocacy as trend-setters,they cannot spare their time to be devoted to the study of creation and theory of novels.It is a group of intellectuals dominated by modern newspapermen who have put Liang Qichao' s "Novel Revolution" thoughts into practice,which then exerted a far-reaching influence,thus promoting the transformation of modern novels.The late Qing newspapermen,via newspapers and periodicals,gained the economic support for survival,publicized their own literary ideas,involved in promoting the novel to become the "orthodox" of literature,and created a situation in which modern novel theory criticism flourished.With Wu Jianren and Huang Ren as objects of case study,the emphasis of this study is put on the status of newspapermen in the late Qing Dynasty and the significance of literary thoughts in promoting the modern transformation of novel theory criticism in the late Qing Dynasty.When Wu Jianren and Huang Ren and other late Qing newspapermen changed their status from "scholars" to modern intellectuals,their spiritual independence and the sense of mission of enlightenment and salvation made them actively participate in the wave of "Novel Revolution".By drawing lessons from the theoretical categories,criticism forms and methods of Western literary theory,they committed to the modern construction of novel theory criticism with new meaning.In short,on the basis of using the original first-hand materials,this dissertation studies the relationship between the newspapers and periodicals of the late Qing Dynasty and the modern transformation of novel theory criticism,and explores the evolution of Chinese literature in both ancient times and modern times,at home and abroad,which has realistic implications for current research.The modern novel theory influenced by ideas from traditional novel theory and Western novel theory not only guides but also restricts the development of novel periodicals.At the same time,the orientation of running novel periodicals and the change of social ideological trend drive the openness and change of novel theory criticism.Through a detailed analysis of the complex background and deep texture of its interactive construction,it can provide a practical reference for the dialectical understanding of the interactive relationship between the development of contemporary novel theory and the prosperity of novel creation.