The Influence, Acceptance And Significance Of The Theory Of Evolution In Lu Xun’s Thought And Literature

There is a theory of evolution running through all Lu Xun’s study in“establishment of personality” and “national character”. Influenced earlyby Yan Fu, Lu Xun read “The theory of evolution” written by Oka Asajiroin the spring tide of mass popularization of Darwinism in Japan andthereafter “no longer admire Yan Fu”. Oka Asajiro’s influence on Lu Xunis more than his studying times but to old age, and also makes theideological content of Lu Xun from the theory of evolution to other aspects.However, Yan Fu and Oka Asajiro are not the core factors influencing LuXun’s evolutionary theory. As I think, Lu Xun’s theory is the most closeto Nietzsche’s thoughts, and specifically, is the most close to “Also sprachZarathustra” in the mostessential meaning ofevolutionary theory.Although Lu Xun has never been systematically discussed his theoryof evolution, the evolutionary theory has deeply rooted in Lu Xun’sthoughts of the “establishment of personality” and the “nationalcharacter”.Combination Darwinism with Nietzsche’s thoughts is Lu Xun’s own uniqueinvention, on one hand, he recognizes the weakness of rationalismneglecting the human existence and the person’s subjectivity underNietzsche’s influence, on the other hand, he pours Nietzsche’s importanceon human spirit and the existence of solicitude into his rationalism.These two kinds of thoughts are as incompatible as fire and water in theWest, but can be used to save the nation and promote the human liberationand development under the circumstances of these two ideas quite lackingin twentieth century of China. This article aims to embody Lu Xun’sunique modern enlightenment through analyzing Lu Xun’s acceptance and selection process of evolutionary thoughts from the microscopic level.Lu Xun’s theory of evolution is not just simply absorb other theory,but based on reality. And the final formation of the theory of evolution iscombined with his unique interpretation of Nietzsche’s thought through hispurposeful selection of different points of view. In a way, Lu Xun’s theoryof evolution is unparalleled.