Zhang Chengzhi Writing In Chinese And Foreign Literary Relations

Much has been devoted to the determination of the relationship between the renowned but controversial Chinese writer Zhang Chengzhi and his soviet counterpart Aitmatov—— how the former was influenced by the latter and how the reception was transformed into their own originality. In the early years of their artistic creation, the grassland was the similar theme for both; however, In the later days they proceed from different culture background separately and regard religion (Islam and the Christian religion) as subject matter create and produce with representativeness works. By tracing the transformation in their writing career, the present thesis attempts to define how the Chinese and Russian intellectuals took the criticism position and made their own spiritual choice when they had to face a sea of drastic changes in the age of modernization.To start with, Chapter One is to conduct the close reading the early works of the two writers, focusing itself mainly on the similarities as revealed by the imagery, keynote and subject matter etc thus defining the existence of influence by Aitmatov in Zhang's early writings.Then, in Chapter Two, a historical review on Zhang's identity as a minority group member, and his experience as a Red Guard, and a young intellectual, was carried out for the further discussion of his motives for literary writing in his early time so as to suggest why Aitmatov was accepted by the young Chinese writer as his literary guide.Closely related to Chapter One, Chapter Three analyzed the works of the two men after the conversion to religion occurred. In this chapter, the main focus is on the reasons for their conversion, especially the then objective circumstances for Zhang, who had returned to city life, and how he, in those circumstances, made his decision —— the major cause that accounted for his conversion. Finally, in Chapter Four, the conclusion of the present thesis, overall analysis of their early and late works is made to detect the consistency in their subject matter. Although, differentiated choice towards religion is obvious in their late religious works, what they share in common is that they made their own spiritual choice as their response to social transformation and modernization——ideals that conscientious writer attempt to provide for readers and society.