On Hu Shi's Theory Of The Vernacular And Its Modernity

In the early 20th century, Chinese society was in a critical period of transition and transformation, how to become a modern country, how to enlighten the public, and how to reconstruct the culture, have became the matter of common concern for China's liberalism, radicalism and conservatism intellectuals. Although they brought forward various prescription, and they can not fundamentally treated the serious illness both for China and Chinese people suffering from at that time, but their valuable exploring leave us an important minding resource, and have some certain reference worthiness.Hu Shi is a representative of the Liberal intellectuals during May 4th movement period and has made remarkable achievements in the literary theory, philosophy, history, poetry, etc. And the relative studies on Hu Shi get increasingly wide attention by scholars, so it became a "school of learning." Based on interpretation of the vernacular theory and the analysis of modern theory, this paper attempt to show its impact and function to Chinese literary theory and China's modernization process, and to reveal the value and significance of his vernacular theory in a deeper level.In this paper, the first chapter describes and summarizes the social and cultural background of formation of Hu Shi's vernacular theory. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the introduction of evolution theory had made a tremendous impact on Chinese cultural field, and Hu Shi's idea of improving literature took the evolution theory as its inherent spirit. Under the guidance of this philosophy, the Chinese literature has begun to change towards modern form, and it begun to separate with the tradition both in the content and forms. In the process, Hu Shi plays the role of linking between past and future, because he studied the older generation, but also goes beyond the older generation. His idea of social evolution, linguistic innovation and literary improvement is the representation of the main trend of Chinese social culture at that time, and the inevitable outcome of the social process and the result of the stages.The second chapter is a discussion on the basic content of Hu Shi's vernacular theory. First of all, cards the concept of "vernacular". The real "vernacular" should be grasped from the distinction between the ancient and the modern vernacular, and between the classical and vernacular Chinese. Hu Shi's vernacular theory contains the innovative tools, including text, vernacular literature and the history of the evolution of the aesthetic ideal of the literature and so on. These ideas have had an important influence on the formation of a new concept of literature and the development of modern literature, and had an important aesthetic significance.The third part analyzes and rethinks the modernity of Hu Shi's vernacular theory. Hu Shi's vernacular theory reflects the civilian principle and humanities connotations, but his theory also has inevitable shortcomings and regrets because of the unsurpassable character by itself and its own times.