History of the Emergence of Modern Chinese Literary Criticism 1917-1930

Author: Marián Gálik, Slovakia
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-03-01
Features: This book, which can be said to be the history of modern Chinese literary criticism from 1917 to 1930, merely omits some less-known critics and a portion of minor works by the mentioned critics. Perhaps, researchers of modern Chinese literary criticism would still hope to include figures like Luo Jialun (1895—) and Fu Sinian (1895—1950). Among the critics of the Creation Society reviewed in Chapters 2 to 4 of this book, it is undoubtedly possible to add several minor critics, such as Zheng Boqi (1895—), Tian Han (1896—1968), Wang Duqing (1898—1940), and Wen Yiduo (1899—1946). Adding Zheng Zhenduo (1898—1958) or Zhu Ziqing (1898—1948) would also be appropriate in chapters close to those on Mao Dun or Qu Qiubai. Moreover, Liang Shiqiu was not entirely isolated in Chinese literary criticism of the 1920s. At least Mei Guangdi (1890—1945) and Wu Mi (1894—) pioneered what is known as China's "New Humanism" criticism, a derivative of Owen Barfield's theory. In the late 1920s, only a few minor critics, such as Han Shiqing or Chen Yuan, stood in opposition to the literary criticism of the proletarian revolution. However, in my personal opinion, none of the aforementioned minor critics, nor any other unmentioned minor critics, would directly or implicitly lead to significant revisions in the history of modern Chinese literary criticism (1917—1230) as outlined here. This work focuses on summarizing the literary theories and practical literary critical activities of about seventeen or eighteen major critics in the early decades of this century, highlighting the role of the "literary revolution" in the New Culture Movement in China in overthrowing the old and introducing Western modern and contemporary literary ideas and methods. In the "Introduction" to this book, the author elaborates in detail on his distinctive structuralist and comparative literary methods, notably excluding the metaphysical elements that are detached from the actual history of literature and literary criticism. These contributions hold high reference value for the study, teaching, and research of modern literary theory and literary history in our country, and it can even be said that much of it fills the gaps in these areas.