On The Influence Of Hu Shi’s Science Conception On Modern Transformation Of Literature Conception And Formation Of New Paradigm Of Criticism

Science plays a prominent role in modern China, which filled "the belief vacuum" and became the highest cultural authority and universal natural law. As a participant of May 4th movement, Hu Shi was also influenced by science; his science conception was that experimentalism was its appearance and positivism was its true spirit. The formation of his science conception was a process combining of the Chinese and western cultures under the infiltration of the two. Meanwhile, this conception was a holistic category, within which the attitude of scientific judgment, the scientific spirit of doubting and truth-seeking, and the methodology of positivism influenced each other and played roles jointly. During the critical blank period of cultural change, Hu Shi, under the guidance of his science conception, had literature as the main base, language as the breakthrough, Vernacular Movement as the beginning, Systematizing National Cultural Heritage as assistance, reevaluated everything with a unique occupying strategy, controlled the leadership of culture, and established a new model. He used the almighty sword ---science to clear the way for tradition, and effectively promoted the modern transformation of Chinese literature conception and the formation of the new paradigm of literary criticism, creating a new era of culture, whose historical achievements was indelible. Nevertheless, the inherent defects of Hu’s methodology of positivism exerted a huge negative impact on modern Chinese literature.