| Taigeer's visit to China in 1924 is a big event not only in the history of Sino-India cultural intercommunication,but also in the history of Chinese New Culture Movement.The debate arising from that visit over 80 years ago in Chinese ideology and culture circle still attracts high attention of academic world now which holds different opinions towards that visit.Some regard the visit as "a meeting ending up with unhappiness" because of misunderstanding, others maintain that the visit was a fuse for all the parties at that moment to state theie own political standings and views,still others think that the "ideology and culture battle during Wusi period was centered on Taigeer's visit to China".This paper is trying to explain,through reviewing the whole process of Taigeer's visit to China,that such visit was actually a normal visit of culture communication and friendship,but it is due to the special political and cultural environment of China at that time that it became finally a "target" of debate in Chinese ideology and culture circle. Taigeer is an international master of culture,His works was introduced into China at the beginning of 20th century and was so loved because of its special charm that the introducers and imitators were countless.This "Taigeer Trend" reached its summit in 1924 with Taigeer's visit to China,when the whole China "talked nothing but Taigeer".During 50 days of his stay in China,Taigeer visited many cities from the South to the North,such as Shanghai, Hangzhou,Nanjing Jinan and Beijing,etc,and delivered dozens of speeches on all kinds of occasions.In his speeches Taigeer,on one hand,reviewed and sang high praise of cultural communication and great friendship of long standing between two peoples,espressing his profound sentiments towards Chinese people.On the other hand, he promoted his conservative theory that western culture is a material civilization while the eastem is spiritual one, and that the spiritual civilization is much superior to the material one.He wished that Chinese people should not be faced down by the materialism.He also criticized and doubted the function and value of the science,held that the infinitive development of the science "restrained the spirit of human beings",and that the world where the spirit of human beings are restrained "is an abstract world without the power ofhumanity".The whole Chinese society extended a warm welcome and great attention to the visit of Taigeer.From the ordinary students to the famous scholars,from the ordinary citizens to the politicians,even the last Chinese emperor Puyi joined the group to welcome Taigeer,among whom Liang Qichao,Xu Zhimo and Hushi were most representative. At the same time Taigeer's visit to China were suffered from the furious objection and sharp criticism,mainly by the representatives of new culture who believed in Marxism such as Chen Duxiu,Guo Moruo,Shen Yanbing Qu Qiubai,etc.The different reactions of Chinese intellectuals to Taigeer's visit to China and his speeches were a continuation of the complicated battle of ideology and culture during the Wusi period,at the same time caused a new complicated battle of ideology and culture. Why did the visit of Taigeer,who was an intemationally renowned writer,which was for the purpose of expressing friendship,receive such furious criticism and objection? Firstly it ties in the special social background.In 1924 or so Chinese anti - imperialist and anti - feudal revolution movement became increasingly intensive.Under such circumstances Taigeer promoted everywhere his theory to use friendship and love to confront the violence,talking a lot about the spiritual civilization,philanthropy,the occult third term world of human beings,but never the patriotism and the democracy.This is behind the times.So it is natural that his ideas were criticized and opposed by those intellectuals who set saving China through the revolution and science as their tenet.Secondly it has something to do with the political prejudice.Some Chinese intellectuals,such as Chen Duxiu,doubted that Taigeer was a succor from India invited by "Metaphysical School",so they looked at Taigeer with colored glasses and opposed Taigeer from the political perspective.It's rather said that many of those objections are aimed at the Metaphysical School who welcome Taigeer than at Taigeer himself.Thirdly it lies in the eagemess of Chinese ideology and culture circle for instant success.Just as Xu Zhimo said,"We believe that your presence will bring comfort,coolness and happiness to this dank,doubtful,dysphonic and troublous world,and will strengthen our belief and hope for the great things and life." But Taigeer is neither a "living God" nor a "World Saver".Fourthly it lies in the misunderstanding of Taigeer,which is a fallacy of composition and even each one taking what he reeds.Due to the impact of certain historical conditions,there were many inharmonic elements in Taigeer's visit to China in 1924,but its influence on the Since-India cultural communication as well as on the Chinese new culture is enomous. |
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