Poetic Dwelling

Ecological literature comes into being under the background of modern ecological crisis andspiritual dilemma.From the point of ecological view, it discusses the relationship between nature andliterature，man and literature.It explores literature ecological connotation, absorbing the essence ofecological wisdom, instructing human ecological practice, improving human survival ability andexploring the social cultural roots which causes ecological crisis and the strategy to resolving the crises.Henry David Thoreau, American writer in the1840s as a pioneer of ecological literature in theworld, he created a series of natural ecological writings, he questioned the advocated "anthropocentric"at that time."Walden" is his most representative work, which creating a precedent for ecologicalliterature and bringing a fresh and healthy air to the human who sink in the spirit and ecological crisis.Inthe book, Thoreau described the variety of the beauty of life, liberty and the poetic exist with hisspiritual experience that his whole soul blending with the life of natural things. Thoreau’s works containprofound ecological thought, which provides a most precious spiritual wealth to people in seriousecological crisis and spiritual dilemma today. The1930s Chinese writer Shen Congwen is one of thehighest achievements and the most far-reaching ecological writer in China modern literature history, apioneer of the modern ecological thinking. As the outstanding writer and thinker in China in thetwentieth century, Shen Congwen always thinking of all mankind based on the care, the concerningabout the survival and development of the Chinese nation, and also paying a positive attention to thecommon problems that faced by human being. He broke through the narrow "anthropocentrism "withbold advanced consciousness and put forward his own unique ecological thinking under the ecologicalguidance of the harmonious unity of man and nature, which expressed the ideal and pursuit of thereconstruction of ecological civilization."Border Town” is Shen Congwen’s most representative work,which expresses his respect for nature, highly revere life, and holds the modern ecological consciousnessthat creating a spiritual and natural homeland for the harmonious unity between human and nature.This thesis consists of four chapters. Chapter One explains the reason, the significance and specificthought of the study, then introduces Thoreau’s and Shen Congwen’s life and their ecological thinking,which pave the way to their ecological resonance. The Chapter two respectively overviews Thoreauand Shen Congwen’s research at home and abroad then briefly introduces the present situation forThoreau and Shen Congwens’ contrast study and proposes the main theme of this dissertation. Thechapter three respectively analyzes from man and nature, man and society, man and himself, that is fromthree aspects of generalized ecological-natural ecology, social ecology and spiritual ecology, whichmakes a deep comparison between them and finds their ecological resonance. From the aspect of natural ecology, they both have natural view that man is an integral part of nature, claiming that respect for lifeand man and nature are equal. From the aspect of social ecology, they respectively analyze from the realand ideal society and both attach high importance to the harmonious development of the spiritual and thematerial world, then advocate people to live in a harmony, simple, healthy life. From the aspect ofspiritual ecology, Thoreau and Shen Congwen profoundly reveals the imbalance of the spiritual ecologyin modern society through their works, and thinking deeply of how to rebuild the moral and spiritualworld. Furthermore, they think highly of individual spirit independence and moral cultivation, andpropose return to nature for the purification of the mind.Chapter Four is the conclusion that makes a summary and evaluation of Thoreau’s and ShenCongwen’s literary works, illustrates the practical significance and value of the study, which guides theresearchers to study them from practice and theoretical today, to inherit and carry forward the glory ofthe previous thought. Although Thoreau and Shen Congwen live in different times and countries, buttheir ecological thought are striking similar. This paper attempts to study Thoreau’s and Shen Congwen’secological thoughts and to in-depth explore their ecological thoughts’ similarities, which in order toresolve the ecological crisis that human beings face today.