Implications And Introspection Of The Confucian Culture

Wang Meng (born on October15,1934), a writer, is very special in the history ofChinese Contemporary Literature. In1953, he began his literature creation when he was19years old and kept writing since then. Over sixty years, he has been one of thosemost persistent and productive writers in Chinese literature history, creating with greatsincerity and enthusiasm. Moreover, his works, from A Young Newcomer in theOrganization Department, to Voice of Spring, till The Person of Activity Fluctuate, haveled the artistic development of contemporary novels, shaped its time characteristics andexpanded its cultural connotation to a great extent. It can be said that Wang Meng is aflagman in Chinese contemporary literature, participating profoundly in the historicalconstruction of contemporary literature with his unique vitality and passion. Obviously,Wang Meng’s outstanding artistic achievement is related to his rich social experiences,multiple social identities, and profound knowledge. However, this is more connected tohis unique cultural mentality on a deeper level. In fact, as an active secularist, he hasbeen shouldering certain responsibility in his heart. He participated actively in thecontemporary literature circle as well as in social affairs and took initiatives in incessantwriting despite adverse circumstances and ups and downs in his life, which is closelyrelated to the profound influence of Confucianism on his cultural personality. It couldeven be said that it is right the belief of “As Heaven’s movement is ever vigorous, somust a gentleman ceaselessly strive along” in Confucianism that has deeply shapedWang Meng’s cultural personality and that of his works. His sixty years of writingtransmits distinctive humanistic feelings of a “Confucian scholar” in the denseatmosphere of Chinese traditional culture.The most prominent complex in Wang Meng’s cultural mindset is the solution of“Outer Kingliness”, which was accurately embodied in his novels through images of anumber of intellectuals he has shaped who often has the disposition of “OuterKingliness”. From the perspective of contemporary personality construction, one of themost precious essences in Confucian culture is its demand for “Outer Kingliness”,which is the ideal state for making contributions and religious sentiments pursued by“Confucian scholars” over thousands of years.“Outer Kingliness” highlights “making contributions”,“trying to let others be benefited in success” and the individuals’responsibility and duty for society, which makes the individuals obtain the sense ofpatriotism, and be more constructive and positive. There is another complex in WangMeng’s novel—“the absolute loyalty as a teenage communist”, which is the culturalrepresentation of “Family Harmony”,“State Governing” and “World Peace” inConfucianism at the specific historical period. The heroes in many of Wang Meng’snovels have good qualities, such as keeping positive attitude, forging ahead withdetermination and making unremitting efforts to improve themselves, etc. Though introuble or setbacks, they never lose their ideal and ambition and this is also the verymeaning of going into the society with a positive attitude. For instance, Cao Qianli inMotley Colours, Zhang Siyuan in Butterfly and Zhong Yicheng in Salute Between TheBolsheviks and the like all manifest pursuit of making contribution and the sense ofhardship. The “Outer Kingliness” and “Inner Sageliness” united as one is one view oflife in Confucianism. The “Inner Sageliness” is also one of the Confucian cultureelements which embodied in Wang Meng’s novels. The “Inner Sageliness” emphasizesthe “enlightenment of brilliant virtues”, which is the basis for the cause of the “OuterKingliness”. The “Inner Sageliness” and the “kindness” in Confucianism are converging,which highlights primarily the pursuit for one’s inner self-cultivation and aims at settingup the brilliant virtues. In Wang’s novels, there are a lot of contents which embody the“Inner Sageliness” such as the determined loyalty, the generous and kind tolerance,self-regulated consciousness of self-discipline, and the filial piety and so on. TheConfucian culture has its demerits as well as merits. Wang Meng has shown rationalcriticism on the Confucian culture in his works such as The Person of Activity Fluctuate,which reflects his dialectical attitude, introspective consciousness and higher-levelcultural consciousness. Excessive role-making and hierarchy are the main demerits ofConfucian culture, which is reflected in the bondage and does harm to people, such aswomen’ fidelity after the death of their husbands and ingrained feudal patriarchalsystem.Wang Meng is a writer who is deeply influenced by the Confucian culture and alsocan make cultural reflection actively. Therefore, it is significantly important to rethinkthe long existing drawbacks of Confucian culture from the studying of the influence of Confucian culture that cultural trait and personal characters. On one hand, it isworthwhile to reveal the subtle and complicated relationship between the constructionsof traditional Confucian culture and that of modern culture. On the other hand, it playsimportant role in deepening understanding of cultural implication of Wang Meng’snovels and summarizing the influence of traditional culture on inner quality of modernculture.