Limitations of Realism: Chinese Fiction in the Revolutionary Era: Chinese Fiction in the Revolutionary Era

Author: An Mincheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-08-01
Features: "Realism," originally introduced to China as a tool for cultural reform, but there exists a complex contradiction between its aesthetic premises and the social mission it promises. This book approaches the topic from this perspective, first examining the use of "Realism" in China through the method of "archaeology of knowledge," analyzing its unique reception history. Subsequently, the author conducts an in-depth textual interpretation using the works of writers such as Lu Xun, Mao Dun, Ye Shaojun, and Zhang Daigai as samples, focusing on the controversial and fragmented aspects of the narrative in novels. This reveals the penetration, transformation, and the unique aesthetic possibilities inspired by Realism as a "formal factor" in fiction. Finally, the book explores the end of Realism in the face of a new collectivist discourse.