An Aesthetic Journey Of Freedom And Humanity

Li Jianwu, a critic and writer who was active in the literary circle of 1930s, not only wrote many excellent plays, but more importantly left us two excellent works: Juhuaji and Juhua'erji.At that time and a long period after, no adequate attention was paid to the two works. Until the publishing of China s New Literature History of Sima Changfeng in Hong Kong in 1976, Li Jianwu's literary ideas was adequately accepted. In his China's New Literature History, Sima Changfeng sang high praise for Li Jianwu. He held the opinion that among all the literary critics in new literature history, Li Jianwu was the only one who could read the works of his contemporary writers industriously and extensively, study deeply, appreciate unbiasedly and examine assiduously without prejudice.Especially from 1980s, Li Jianwu's literature criticism has been emphasized again by many people, which makes us deep in thought. What is Li Jianwu's criticism? And what is the reason? This thesis makes a study from the following two perspectives: First, generalization of the characteristics of Li Jianwu's literature criticism in comparison with other "Peking critics". Second, reevaluation of the value and importance of Li Jianwu's literature criticism in the development of modern and contemporary literature, especially in the problems and shortcomings in contemporary literature criticism.Exactly speaking, this thesis mainly discusses about the following: First, taking "self-experience" and "humanity" as standard. "Self is the standard which Li Jianwu paid much attention to in his literature criticism. But he did not encompass himself in "self only, he studied popular "humanity" of the society. Second, achieving freedom in limitation. Taking the works as a whole is his principal, and criticism can not get away from the whole. And he did not constrain himself in the whole. That is related to the works can be used freely and artistically. His criticism shows the confidence and constraint of critic. He respected his discovery and also respected the writer's explanation, which makes an excellent example for regulating the relationship between writers and critics. His "freedom" was realized in "self-experience". He paid special attention to "self-comprehension" in literature criticism, but did not limit "self-comprehension" in one person. Third, pursuing beauty and justice. Li Jianwu is good at finding the beauty of humanity, but he did not always praise the works. He tries hard to evaluate the works in an appreciative view. Not like Mao Dun and Zhou Yang, Li Jianwu did not devalue the artistic nature of the works because of propensity of ideas. On one side, he did not forget justice and conscience; on the other side, he did not forget aesthetics and art. He put aesthetics and morality into one. Fourth, paying attention to the literature education and the soul. Li Jianwu's criticism of experience and comprehension sets enlightenment to contemporary literature education. He paid more attention to the people in the works and their soul. Li Jianwu believed that the function of literature is in the scope of humanity. He took cautious attitude towards politics trespassing into literature and worried about disappearance of sheerness of literature. In his literature perspective, human nature can not be subject to politics, and should be taken as fundamental standard. Literature last long not because of politics, but by means of humanity. Li Jianwu's ideas probably does not benefit the revelation of time and politics of literature, but benefits the development of aesthetic border of literature.Li Jianwu's role in the history of Chinese modern literature can not be neglected. He changed criticism itself into art and artistic criticism into critical art. He changed completely the view of the history of modern literature criticism towards criticism. Namely, the duty of criticism can not only focuses on criticizing and attack, but should hold a mild and modest attitude. With a scholar's seriousness, artist's awareness, critic's acuteness, Li Jianwu held a special banner in modern literature criticism history. No one can be compared with him in deep study about the authors and the works. Of course, there are some shortcomings in his criticism as well. One is that his appreciative criticism. It is sometimes obscure and sentimental, and it demands that the critics must have very high artistic comprehension and quality, which is too difficult for common critics and scholars. His literature criticism reminds us that we should pay attention not only to the forming of theories, but can not neglect the art and literature of criticism. The education of literature should focus not only on knowledge infusion, but on education of humanities and arts.