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Research On The Images Of Westerners In The Long Vernacular Fiction Of Late Qing Dynasty (1840-1911)

Posted on:2011-02-28Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:X XueFull Text:PDF
GTID:2155360305499430Subject:Ancient Chinese literature
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The imagination of the foreign countries in the classical Chinese literary works initially appeared in The Classic of Mountains and Seas, and in the era when literature and history did not separate completely, the description concerning foreign affairs and exotic imagination appeared in the historical records as well, which revealed the Chinese people's curiosity about the outside world.With the start of oceanic access, the number of foreigners who came to China increased rapidly. At the same time, official foreign exchanges such as the activities of Zheng He were also supported by the central government of China. As a result of this, the understanding of foreign countries and people became more comprehensive and profound compared with early times.However, China always considered itself superior in its observation of other countries during the external activities, but with the outbreak of the Opium War in 1840, situation changed greatly. Form 1840 to 1911,a series of military defeat contributed to the decline of Qing Dynasty, and the imperial state gradually lost its dignity. During these 70 years, with the entry of western ships and armaments, there was a growing number of westerners coming to china besides their goods. They did missionary work, engaged in business and started wars, and an immutable fact is that Chinese people who were used to the closed door policy had to communicate, or even live and work with foreigners,who were completely different from themselves.This reality was also reflected in literary works, that is the emergence of westerners in the long vernacular fictions of Late Qing Dynasty.This thesis will do research on the images of westerners in the long vernacular fictions of Late Qing Dynasty, describing its changes from 1840 to 1911 and discussing the reason for this, as well as the type and narrative skills of the literary images, and the meaning of the appearance of the westerners from the perspective of the writers.
Keywords/Search Tags:Late Qing Dynasty, long vernacular fictions, images of westerners, ideal, reality, transition of writer
PDF Full Text Request
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