Outside the circle of love

Author: Zhang Zhiping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: From ancient times to the present, the development of literary concepts in Chinese literature has gone through three stages. The first stage is the "heterogeneous literary concept" era, characterized by the blending of literature and history, and the simultaneous use of literary and historical writing. This stage spans a long historical period. The second stage is the "pure literary concept" era, whose core lies in recognizing the independent value of literature. This era began with our acceptance of Western literary concepts in the early 20th century and continues to exert a major influence to this day. The third stage is the "humanities-oriented literary concept" era, which is a form of comprehensive thinking embedded in a new historical context. It draws on the practical achievements and theoretical strengths of the "pure literary concept" era while attempting to transcend the artificial mutilation of the natural coexistence of literature and culture in the process of "literary purification" by recognizing the vast and rich existence of human culture. This era has just begun with the new century, although its influence is not yet as significant as the previous two stages, but it represents the direction of the development of a new literary concept in the advancement of human cultural development. This is what I refer to as the "Three Ages of Literature." According to this concept, the progress of literary ideas will inevitably prompt people to adopt a more tolerant, dialectical, and forward-looking perspective when considering the issue of highbrow and popular culture, with a focus on the formation of a healthy cultural ecosystem. Whether from the perspective of satisfying the narrative aesthetic psychology of a national culture or from the perspective of adapting to the multiple needs of urban citizen culture in the coming era, the development of modern popular fiction will bring us many positive insights. Rereading them cannot be seen merely as a pleasant cultural leisure activity, but rather as a culturally significant reflective process. At this time, launching this series of "Chinese Popular Fiction" will undoubtedly make positive contributions to the future development of Chinese culture.