Conflict And Identity

The most outstanding cultural significance in Jin Yong's novels mostly lies in the representation of the established Chinese traditional morals and culture, which also contains some qualities of the modernization of Chinese culture since "May Fourth" Movement. There is sometimes identity or conflicts between the modern and the traditional, which reflects a complex cultural essence. This dissertation takes an inspection into the conflicts and forms of identity between the qualities of traditional and modern cultures hidden behind in the texts, through some aspects such as kungfu, chivalry, love, human nature and father's role.Jin Yong's knight-errant novels represent the conflicts and identity between Chinese traditional culture and the modern consciousness just on the aspects of kungfu, chivalry, love, human nature and the absence of "father", In Jin Yong's novels, the pursuit of the kungfu state is affirmed and regarded as the representation of human conquest over the world. And Jin Yong also emphasizes the unity and harmony of human beings and the world, relating the kungfu state to the concept of "Heaven and Man's Harmonious Unity " in Chinese traditional philosophy. The "chivalry" in Jin Yong's novels is to some extent derived from the traditional views on "chivalry", which prefers that a chivalrous man should "right wrongs in accordance with heaven's decree" and defy all difficulties and dangers fighting for his country and people. However, due to individualism and liberationof personality, a concept of justice with the sense of modern humanism gradually substitutes for the parochial view of faith to the king and the country. Meanwhile, as the subjects of "chivalry", the chivalrous men have renewed the understanding of traditional concept of "chivalry" in a large range when conducting "chivalry", developing the individualism in modern society. The conflicts often result in such destinies for the chivalrous men that some withdraw, some give up, and others die and ruin. As for love, although affected by the narrative mold of "Hero and Beauty" in classical novels, Jin Yong's novels prefer the harmony of lovers' hearts and the mutually-devoted love basedon sex equality. Jin Yong takes an inspection deeply into the minds of characters in his novels, breaks the confinement for human nature by the feudal ethics, and transcends the feudal ethic dualism on "the good or the evil" in human nature. The complexity and authenticity of human nature are displayed in that way. As the representative of "filial piety", "father" is the very symbol that the modern people must defeat and overcome for freedom and liberty. Such a conflict is usually reflected in literature. But the absence of "father" from Jin Yong's novels militates it more or less.In the current transformation of Chinese culture, the conflict between tradition and modernity is just the problem facing up to each Chinese. With the knight-errant novel style familiar to Chinese people, Jin Yong successfully makes clear such a paradoxical situation for the current Chinese culture, and lights the psychology of Chinese people in the cultural transformation. That's the reason for the strong resonance from the readers of Jin Yong's novels.