Images Of Soviet Union In Modern Chinese Literature Discourse

In modern Chinese literary discourse,the image of the Soviet Union is constructed diversely in many narratives.Modern Chinese writers and intellectuals narrate Soviet Union imaginatively,which determines their perception of the world,present China and future China.The evolution of the So viet Union image influences modern China’s transformation,its identity,and view and reality,even current society.From the perspective of comparative literature iconography and cross-cultural iconography,the"Soviet Union image" contains three meanings—modern China’s cognition and imagination of the Soviet Union,a metaphor for modern China’s identity,and an influence on the construction of Chinese modernity.In the dissertation,the author,focusing on the evolution of the Soviet Union image in modem Chinese literature discourse,explores modern China’s self-cognition,mechanism of modernity and the problems and dilemmas in the process for China’s right developing road and China’s rejuvenation.Modern Chinese writers and intellectuals narrate the Soviet Union in order to solve China’s current issues,so the Soviet Union image in modern Chinese literary discourse aims to reflect on modern China transformation."Soviet Union" is recognized in the Modern China "revolution",and then "Soviet Union" is introduced in pursuit of modernity,that is,"pursuing prosperity" in a nation state and"transforming character" in modern citizens.The narratives about the "Soviet Union"finally focus on what road will China take,and whether the Soviet Union is regarded as friend or enemy.Actually,the Soviet images are constructed in three forms—the radical vs the progressive,the poor,weak and authoritarian vs the rich,strong and democratic,and an enemy vs a friend.Apart from introduction and conclusion,the dissertation mainly consists of three chapters.In Chapter one,the author summarizes the history of Chinese ideas about Russia,and analyzes revolutionary discourse and its role in shaping Russia image from the backward and outrageous to the forward and civilized.The "radical Soviet Union" and the "progressive Soviet Union" formed in the revolutionary discourse,in turn,contributed to the transformation of Chinese society at the turn of the 1920s and 1930s.In Chapter two,the author explores establishing nation-state and shaping modern citizens.From the perspective of modernity,two images of "poor,weak,autocratic Soviet Union" and "rich,strong and democratic Soviet Union" appear in the discourse of modern Chinese literature.The two images among modern Chinese writers and intellectuals finally reshaped their understanding the pursuit of modernity—democracy and freedom in politics,enlightened despotism and state intervention.Inspired by Soviet Union’s achievements,modern writers and intellectuals consciously change from criticizing national people to constructing images of "new people",predict the bright future of China through narratives of the Soviet Union.In Chapter three,the author points out that the Soviet Union,as an focus in modern Chinese literary discourse,arouses many debates among modern Chinese writers and intellectuals,especially on "the image of the Soviet Union as an enemy" and "the image of the Soviet Union as a friend" in the discourse of modern Chinese literature.The change of images is rooted in the trend of Sino-Soviet relations,and in turn affects Sino-Soviet relations.The Soviet Union eventually occur as a good friend and role model,and the new China adopted a"Pro-Soviet Union" foreign policy,which results from evolution of the Soviet Union image in modern China,and also results in the trend of contemporary China.In conclusion,Soviet Union image in the discourse of modern Chinese literature gradually change from the poor,backward and despotic to the progressive,prosperous and democratic.This "utopian" orientation in constructing the Soviet Union image shows that China,as a developing country,denies itself and its tradition in pursuing modernity,which has laid a risk in China’s development,and Sino-Soviet relations.Only by building a subject China and never being "the other" of Soviet Union,can China complete its transformation from tradition to modernity,can we truly have the"four self-confidence",and can we realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.