Zhou Zuoren And The College Of New Literature: 1917-1937

Because of his importance in New Culture Movement and the lack of relative historical materials, Zhou Zuoren’s identity as a professor has not been studied adequately. However, in modern Chinese literary education, Zhou actually had done plenty of works and contributed greatly to the academicalization of New Literature. Therefore, the ignorance of Zhou’s work in literary education became an unbearable omission, both for study of Zhou and for the academicalization of New Literature.In this dissertation, based on the collected historical materials and documents, I would try to rebuild of Zhou Zuoren’s participation in modern Chinese literary education. On the one hand, taking Zhou’s practices in universities as a clue, I would narrate the process of New Literature entering the curriculum, to obtain a clearer and more historicized understanding of the academicalization of New Literature; on the other hand, I would discuss the significance of Zhou in the process of academicalization, and the influence this process had on Zhou’s literature and thoughts.This dissertation would be divided into three chapters.In the first chapter, I will discuss two failed examples of New Literature entering the college:European Literary History and study of (foreign) novels. Teaching foreign literature in Department of Chinese Literature, Zhou was actually preparing for the academicalization of the New Literature. And the lessons and speeches of foreign literature, was actually pointing to the right way of New Literature. The failure of these practices suggests the academia was not the simple equivalent of literary field, but had its own logic of operation.In the second chapter, I will show and discuss, under the multiple expectations, how did Zhou start his practices of the academicalization of New Literature. His practices in Yenching University were actually the first record of teaching lessons of New Literature in Modern China. And his practices, under the expectations of the university and the advocators of New Literature, take writing lessons as a focal point, to act to the Literary Revaluation directly. And his practices also became experiences for the curriculum revolution in Tsinghua University.In the third chapter, I will pay attention to the important text produced by the academicalization of New Literature:The Origin and Development of New Chinese Literature. This text, as a specimen of the 20-year academicalization of New Literature, displayed how the researcher, in the interactions with literary institutions, learn the language of literary history and willingly put his study in the discourse of searching for legality for New Literature. What’s more, the methodology of studying literary history showed his difference between Zhou and other scholars, and actually provided a new perspective to reflect on the institution of literary education.