Modernity and the Transformation of Contemporary Chinese Literature

Author: Chen Xiaoming, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-01-01
Features: This book is a key project of the Institute of Literature, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, written by eight experts and edited by Chen Xiaoming. It re-examines the transformation and evolution of 20th-century Chinese literature from the perspective of "modernity." Chinese literature in the 20th century has continuously adapted to the turbulent external world, undergoing various transformations. These changes have played a crucial role in propelling Chinese civilization into the modernization system. In response to the challenges of "modernity," contemporary Chinese literature has made relentless efforts in constructing modern narrative history. This book explores the development and transformation of Chinese literature since the 20th century within the framework of modernity, viewing the relationship between literature and society as a practical form of modern literature. It outlines the historical thread of modernity literature in the 20th century. The title of this book, "Modernity and the Transformation of Contemporary Chinese Literature," does not aim to transform the study of modern Chinese literature into a "modernity" study with the nature of intellectual history. On the contrary, we have consistently insisted on returning to the study of literary history itself and returning to the literary experience itself. Currently, the literary discipline is indeed severely threatened, and literary studies are increasingly resembling intellectual history, political history, or cultural studies. The focus on establishing norms for the scientific research of modern and contemporary literature has been brought to the agenda. This is clearly not intended to prevent the communication between the literary discipline and other disciplines but rather to re-examine how literature can maintain its own position and specificity in the context of large-scale interactions among different disciplines.