The Loss And Self-redemption Of The Ideal Personality Of Ancient Chinese Intellectuals

Starting from the image-building of ancient Chinese intellectuals in the opera play Song for White Hair,this paper examines the manifestations and causes of the loss and self-redemption of ancient Chinese intellectuals' ideal personality from the creator's perspective and the historical and cultural background.Most ancient Chinese intellectuals sought for being saintly at heart and relied on moral responsibility to play their due social role and realize their social value.From the contradictions between Song Zhiwen and Shen Quanqi,Song Zhiwen and Liu Xiyi,Song Zhiwen and himself,we can see that the loss of ancient Chinese intellectuals' ideal personality can be caused by jealousy of belittling others while praising himself,personality alienation because of power and political position,desire overcomes moral rationality and so on.Because of the "inner saint" stipulation of ancient Chinese intellectuals' ideal personality,self-redemption has become an indispensable part of it,which is reflected in self-discovery of conscience in self-seeking and self-punishment in the form of death and thanksgiving.From this,we can see that moral power plays an important role in replacing religion among ancient Chinese intellectuals.