A Discussion On The History Of Lu Hsun's "Wild Grass" Studies In China

This thesis discussed the history of Lu Hsun's "Wild Grass" studies, which has the significance of helping to promote the current and future studies on Luxun's "Wild Grass", the studies on Lu Hsun, the development of research history on Lu Hsun's "Wild Grass"and contemporary prose poem theories as well. Methods such as the historical literature review, comparative studies are used in this paper with the consideration of methods used before, basic principles and standards on different historical periods, which are based on the characteristics from the previous studies on Lu Hsun's "Wild Grass". According to the study positions, the transformation of society and the development of times, the studies on "Wild Grass" can be divided into three stages:the stage before the founding of PRC, the stage after the founding and the stage after the implementation of the reform and open—door policy in China. This paper insists on an objective attitude towards and the principles of developing on the academic materials on Lu Hsun's "Wild Grass". The innovation of this paper lies in:First, this paper has made the classification, analysis and discussion on the academic works after 2002 when the last academic work on the history of "Wild Grass" studies emerged. Second, some of the neglected works such as Sun Fuyuan's "The First Anniversary of Beijing Daily Supplement" and Zhang Yi ren's "To Lu Hsun", Li Yu ming's "Putting the soul to the torture—New Interpretation of Lu Hsun's'Wild Grass'".Third, it identified the position of Li Guotao's article "Talking about"'Wild Grass'" as a general term in the book "The Aesthetic Charm on'Wild Grass"'.From the research results, the paper concluded that there are still many ways conducting the studies on exploring "Wild Grass" related with anthropology, poetics, cultural studies, fine arts, color science and space science etc, which can be taken as a tendency. This thesis consists of three parts and nine Chapters.The first part is about the studies on "Wild Grass" before the founding of PRC. The first chapter described the studies on "Wild Grass" from 1925 to 1930. Sun Fuyuan was the first researcher on "My Disappointment in Love". Gao Changhong had a systematic study on "Wild Grass". Zhang Yi Ping and Mao Dun had a positive view on studies of "Wild Grass" while Qian Xingcun has a negative attitude towards it. The second chapter shows its studies from 1930 to 1940. Zhao Yanru, who wrote the first monograph on "Wild Grass" and Zhang Yiren had a brilliant exposition on some articles in "Wild Grass". There were other scholars such as Hu Feng "A Brief Explanation on'Passer—bys'",Chen Ziqiu's "Poems of Mr Lu Hsun", Lisu Bo, Li Changzhi's exploration, etc, which involved the contents about fighting spirits, art forms and discussion on styles. The third chapter introduces the studies of "Wild Grass" from 1940 to 1949. The studies were gradually increased, such as Nie Gannu's "A Brief Discussion of Lu Hsun'Wild Grass'"which is full of reasonableness; Xue Wei wrote"A Discussion, on'Wild Grass'"to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Lu Hsun's death featured with classifying its studies. Another example is DuZijing and Quan Lin's analysis from a macroscopic angle, and HuFeng and Xiao Jun have exploited its gloomy style and misery connotation.The middle part is about studies during three decades after the establishment of PRC from 1949 to 1978, from which we can strongly feel the influences and constraints from that special period (Cultural Revolution). ChapterⅣdemonstrates its studies from 1949 to 1960.Wei Junxiu's "Lu Hsun's'Wild Grass'Exploration" referenced mainly Lu Hsun's works and other writers'work at home and abroad as well. Feng Xuefeng's "The Discussion on 'Wild Grass'"is a fresh achievement in Marxism stand. For the "Preface" of "Wild Grass", Xue Wei and Sun Ji made arguments that paid attention to the writing motivation, social environment and author's inner feelings. At that time, the researchers analyzed the characters from "Wild Grass" such as "Passer—bys, Ground fire, Idiot and Fighter" from a microscopic angle. While the macro studies on its ideas and aesthetic quality also had a quite high level. Among these, there are some representative papers including:Czech scholar Keliebusuowa's "Lu Hsun and his'Wild Grass'",Siji's "Prose Poem:'Wild Grass'", Wu Benxing's "Epoch—making Militant Poem—'Wild Grass'". The comparative studies at that time also brought out important results showed the levels of macro studies, Chen Mingshu "Lu Hsun's Lyrical Prose—About'Wild Grass','Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk'" and He Jiahuai's of "Lu Hsun's proses and the prose poems" are included. Chapter Five stated the studies from 1960 to 1966. Generally, Wang Yao thinks "Wild Grass" is the outcome of Lu Hsun's inner contradiction. With " Wild Grass", Wang Yao highlighted his poetic flavour while Wu Xiaomei has another different point of view based on Wang Yao's opinion, she emphasized its new meaning of aesthetics, especially her struggle against the over absolutization about classified standard, which made a difference. Xu Qinwen and Hu Bingguang's discussion which is related with the internal perspective and the outside world from the books both "Wild Grass" and "Scream" as well as the negative emotions started pessimistic contention from "Wild Grass" had led other researchers to a deep thought. Li Helin, Zeng Huapeng, Zhang Shicheng showed their viewpoints on contents and esthetic methodology that are original. ChapterⅥexplores the studies from 1966 to 1978. Except for the changed opinion, the original forms and contents of its notes, Li Helin's studies on "Wild Grass" reflected the characteristics of practicality, popularity and contend. Du Yibai's analysis on "Wild Grass" has two basic principles, first, it highlighted the ideological study; second, it was related to aesthetics. Researchers'analysis on the opposite characters from "Autumn Night", "Passer—bys","Such Soldiers","Wiseman,Fool and Flunkey", "Preface" and "Wild Grass" and other lyrics, from which they have reflected the distinctive mark of "Cultural Revolution".The last part has the studies of "Wild Grass" from 1978 to 2010 which is the period of reform and opening up. The success of the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the C.P.C. and the first centennial anniversary of Lu Hsun's birth, moreover, literary and art circles have just convened the fourth national congress. All these had promoted the rise of studies on "Wild Grass". Under such background, a variety of materials, perspectives, innovative approaches at all times and in all countries have been introduced into the studies of "Wild Grass", which greatly enriched the connotation of works and improved the quality of studies. In the three decades of reform and opening up, over one thousand academic papers and more than twenty books have been published. Compared with the studies in the last fifty years, we have all the reasons to say that the "Wild Grass" studies had not only the accumulation of research, but more qualitative leap after the reform and opening up, which had reached a new stage where there are profound changes on studies of thoughts, esthetics and methods. ChapterⅦshows the studies of "Wild Grass" from 1978 to 1990. SunYushi's studies highlighted the theoretical awareness of the ideological content and esthetics and advocated a undistincted way on studies rather the quantification and index studies, which is the most important achievement. Luxun Research Institute of Jiangsu Province's "Essays on Wild Grass" reflected the studies on methodology and the innovative value on its nationality, beautiful obscurity and the articles "Dead Fire" and "Passer—bys"."The Selected Lu Hsun's Proses" from Wuxi's teachers in—service training school, Wen Shishang and Deng Zhongqiang's "'A Preliminary Analysis on Wild Grass'", Wang Jipeng's "The Analysis of'Wild Grass'",Xiao Xinru's "The Discussion and Analysis on'Wild Grass'", Peng Dingan,Zhong Jingwen, Wang Li, Jin Qinjun's macro studies on the thoughts and esthetics have different characteristics. Divide and rule, one hand, Min Kangsheng's "The Flowers on the Edge of Hell—An Initial Exploration on Lu Hsun's Prose", Shi Chengquan and Huang Zhengan's "The Selected Lu Hsun's Proses",Wang Shijing, Wu Xiaomei's studies on the thoughts of "Wild Grass",on the other hand, Xu Jie's "The Explanation on'Wild Grass'", Li Guotao's "The Aesthetic Talk on'Wild Grass'", The Modern Literature Section's "Appreciation on'Wild Grass'from Chinese Department in Yangzhou Teachers College", WuXiaomei's "Virtual Room Collection" and Li Yitao, Peng Dingan's aesthetics studies on " Wild Grass ". In addition, many psychological studies were made on "Wild Grass" such as Li Xifan's "The Voice of a Great Seeker", Qian Liqun's "Mind's Exploration", Chen Jiamin, Zhu Xiaozheng's works from the point view of psychology, etc. There were still many studies on the various influences from foreign literature works including HAKuriyagawa, Natsume Soseki, Jesus, Turgenev,Andeleef, F.Nietzsche, Baudelaire, Shakespeare, F. Van Eeden. In 80s of the 20th century, the most innovative studies explored the philosophical issues on life, fighting, life consciousness and dialectical philosophy from some scholars including Li Wanjun, Li Xifan, Li Yukun, Wang Hui, Liu Xinhua and Sun Shumin etc.They finally take over Zhang Yiping's records about philosophy topic in 20s of the 20th. century, which further expanded study fields. Scholar's studies emerged more new ideas on aesthetic of "for life", psychological aesthetics, fine arts.In the early 80s of the 20th century, Li Yunjing, Chen Anhu's argument about the theme and images of "Snow'"is significant. Chapter VIII talks about the studies of "Wild Grass" from 1990 to 1999.Katayama Chi Heng's "Lu Hsun'Wild Grass'Full Interpretation", a unique position was set at home and abroad. Both Japan's first academic book and China's first translated work on"Wild Grass", which left a deep impression on people with its basic interpretation on "literature". Min Kangsheng's "Lu Hsun and Nietzsche's Maxim Creation" is the first comparative. study from the microscopic angle which made a comparison between two thinkers. Compared with the studies in 80s of the 20th century, Li Yuming, Peng Dingan, Yan Qingsheng, Liu Yanrong's studies are different, they concerned more about psychological meaning, writing psychology as well as torment of soul. For example,LiYuming's "Torment of Soul-A New Interpretation on'Wild Grass'". And the studies on aesthetics had adhered traditions since the reform and opening up, the quality and perspectives developed more. Meng Ruijun's "The Art World of'Wild Grass'" and Wang Jipeng, Ren Guoquan's adademic papers discussed obscurity beauty, aesthetic styles, aesthetic forms and so on. Compared with studies in 80s of the 20th century, the comparative studies between Chinese and foreign literatures are different. Firstly, there are more books employed comparative methods. Secondly, there is the comparison with related works in Denmark. Thirdly, the comparison with Chinese cultural literatures was found. Xue Wei's "New Discussion on Wild Grass", Wu Xiaomei's and HaYingfei's comparative work between Chinese and foreign literatures, between Buddhist culture and classical literatures are the examples. The reason why the philosophical studies on "Wild Grass" are valued has a close relationship with the idea's changes and the broaden vision. In fact, there are many ways when revealing the philosophical implications such as from the perspective of existence, life and the death. With the continued deepening and development of ideas'emancipation, people's ideology has become increasingly open. Its philosophical interpretation had become increasingly diversified. One part contains the innovative philosophical interpretation of prose, the second—the different understanding in the sense of philosophy, and the third, there is interpretation with different methods.In the 90s of the 20th century, scholars concerned more about microscopic studies on the specific articles in different degrees, among these articles, the papers about "Autumn Night" and "Passer—bys" are the most. Chapter IX is about its studies from 2000 to 2010. Wang Yuhai first has a cultural interpretation on an individualism stand in his work "Life Shouting and the Individuality—from a Perspective of Culture".Maruo Tuneki's contribution is the studies on "Wild Grass" that paid attention to discrimination and exploration. The constant innovation and exploration on works are valuable, which manifested in "Movement" and the"Restoration" of "Disgrace", the exploration on "Letters Between Two", "History Reduction", the unity of poetry and philosophy. There are many studies on studying history itself. Zhang Mengyang took the typical examples and went through them from a "micro perspective," had a viewpoint of history, highlighted "rational reflection", outlined the "intellectual" spirit. Wang Jipeng and Zhang Juan' studies have a rich historical value, which have a developing perspective and the theoretical spirit. The studies on "Wild Grass" from the viewpoint of love were not from Li Tianming but his studies on theme of love has formed scale and relatively concentrated. Professor. Michael S.Duke, working in the Department of Asian Studies, University of British Columbia, wrote in the preface for Li Tianming's "Feelings of Pain that is Hard to Say Directly—the Exploration of Lu Hsun's'Wild Grass'":"Discovering and discussing the love between Lu Hsun and Xu Guangping and the relationship that was not explored fully with his divorced wife as well as revealing the secret theme featured'original'". Hu Yinqiang, in his "Lu Hsun:Testimony for Love—Unlocking Century Mystery of'Wild Grass'" first focused on the theme of love. In Zou Fanping's book "Newly Discovered Lu Hsun:Notes to Lu Hsun's Works", he focused on detailed analysis of love and marriage. Tang Fuhua, Wang Ying's papers had launched a debate on this. Compared with the studies in 80s and 90s of the 20th century, the studies on philosophy of "Wild Grass" had heritage with companion with development that showed a lot of differences. The works on philosophy at that time were unprecedented including Sun Yushi's "Reality and Philosophy—Reinterpretation on Lu Hsun'Wild Grass'",Hideo Kiyama's "Explanation on'Wild Grass'",Wu Zhongjie's Comments on Lu Hsun's "Wild Grass", Fu Demin and BaoXiaoling's "Wild Grass" appreciation, etc. Scholars such as Sun Yushi, Qian Liqun, ZhaoXiaoqi, Gao Yuanbao, Wang Bing and others had deepened and developed previous studies. Wang Jingshan's " Voice of Sad Tragic Heart—Learning by Heart from'Wild Grass'", Liu Yanrong's "Splendor Image of Mind—A Discussion on the Relationship between Consciousness and Unconsciousness ", Long Zizhong's "Carrying the Poison into the Crowd—Notes to'Wild Grass'"and Wang Weidong, LiYuming's studies on imagination, spiritual, psychological world and "consciousness "problems. Zhang Hong's "The Voice in the Darkness—Poetic and Spiritual code of Lu Hsun's'Wild Grass'" is from the poetic perspective, Cheng Jian, Wang Weidong also wrote papers about topics such as image, language and "the heart of poems". In addition to developing the existing comparative studies, compared with studies in 80s and 90s. of the 20th century, the study fields of comparative studies between Chinese and foreign literatures had been broadened, the emergence of comparison between "Wild Grass" and "Painting Dream record", between "Wild Grass"and "Divina Commedia", especially the unique examination on Jesus, can be regarded as masterpiece. The micro discussion on the relationship between "Passer—bys" and Lu Hsun, the pioneer and exploration on different ways of interpretation, especially the interpretation from the angle of Faulkner's time philosophy and musicology are beyond the obvious.Conclusion.The author of this thesis tries to adopt an objective attitude toward the studies on "Wild Grass" to make analysis and research. The methodology of "Wild Grass" is open, controversial and growing rich, which has the various involvements with micro, macro studies and sociology as well. It helps to promote and popularize Lu Hsun's works. But there are still some blanks for studies from human science, theme studies from the longitudinal perspective and academic history studies from the landscape perspective. After all, there is no end of the discussion. Thus studies on"Wild Grass" will be going on continually.