The Transition Of The Figure "Wanzhu" And Wang Shuo’s Cultural Standpoint

Wang Shuo has been an important writer during the turning point of the society from the 80s to the 90s in the 20th century. In his novels, not only that generation is described but also his own experiences and thoughts about the appearances of commercial society and mass cultures in Modern China are written. This article aims at exploring Wang Shuo’s change of thinking by analyzing his novels in different phases as well as some essays of himself thus showing Wang Shuo’s motivation of literary creation and his cultural standpoint.Firstly, in this article, it is argued that Wang Shuo’s novels from 70s to the late 80s have changed into a new style called "Irony". The figure "Wanzhu" has become a key role in his novels. Moreover, "Irony" here becomes a strategy of politics not just a kind of rhetoric.Secondly, in this article, it is argued that Wang Shuo’s novels has experienced the second transition of style 1989. Yu Guan, on behalf of "Wanzhu", has changed the character which manifests as "decadence" In order to resist such kind of decadence, Wang Shuo tries to find back the spiritual strength of "Wanzhu" by virtue of tracing to his own childhood growing experiences.Finally, starting from "the Great Discussion of Humanism", it is about to analyze the crisis of humanistic spirit. Wang Shuo has been criticized as commercial writing, which goes against the will of humanistic spirit. However, Wang Shuo’s writing is not entirely like what humanistic scholars have considered as. Wang Shuo at that time was faced with the same dilemma as those intellectuals. After the silence during the 90s, Wang Shuo has written several essays, trying to sculpture himself as a figure of "the Hero as Man of Letters" in that phase. He himself has showed a posture of resistance to the mediocre era and taken a responsibility of cultural salvation.