From The Elite’s Thought To World Of Life

From a hermeneutics perspective, “Interpretation of Qu Yuan” has a long history of more than two thousand years since Han Dynasty. “Interpretation of Qu Yuan” is a broad concept, including Qu Yuan the person or his work’s quotation,discussion, evaluation and translation, as well as mimicking him in his behaviors such as jumping in the river. From its historical development, “Interpretation of Qu Yuan” has gone through traditional interpretation and modern interpretation two stages approximately.The traditional Interpretation of Qu Yuan, as opposed to modern interpretation,is from the Western Han Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty in the time dimension. The hermeneutic theme of this period is “loyalty to the emperor” and Qu Yuan existed mainly as “a loyalist”, which is clearly distinct from modern interpretation beginning from the late Qing Dynasty. And this is the certain standard and boundary of traditional interpretation and modern ones. The “loyalty to the emperor” themed traditional interpretation has experienced a layers of construction and evolution process, which began in the Western Han Dynasty, developed in Tang-Song period and peaked in Ming and Qing Dynasties. The Confucian’s “the three cardinal guides and the five constant virtues” supports and dominates traditional interpretation’ political ethic and ideology.During the decade in the early 20 th century, along with the spread of western thoughts and theories such as nationalism, liberalism, thoughts of democracy and the nation state, the “loyalty to the emperor” theme of traditional Interpretation of Qu Yuan encountered enormous changes and disintegrated. This is shown in two aspects mainly : First, it transmuted from traditional loyalty to the emperor into modern sense of patriotism. This is the origin of modern nationalism Interpretation of Qu Yuan. Second, people’s attitudes toward Qu Yuan ‘s “resentment” transitioned fromtraditional criticism to affirmation and even replaced traditional “resentment” with new and more modern “resistance” in concept. This is the origin of modern liberalism Interpretation of Qu Yuan. In short, it entered into a new stage of modern interpretation different from the traditional interpretation.In the New Culture Movement period, liberalism interpretation prevailed and became the mainstream, approximately in the following three aspects. First,criticizing and deconstructing Qu Yuan as a loyal minister. Second, constructing Qu Yuan as human beings actively on the positive side. Third, rebelling and desalting political traditional Interpretation of Qu Yuan, and emphasizing literary ones. Qu Yuan was rarely called a loyal minister from this time on and more commonly called a literary giant, a poet, a litterateur. During the period, Hu Shi, Guo Moruo(1920),Liang Qichao(1920)and Wen Yiduo are the representatives.There are two stages of nationalism interpretation bounded by 1931. Before1931, on the one hand, criticizing traditional interpretation themed loyalty to the emperor; on the other hand, correcting an apolitical tendency of liberalism interpretation. During the process, Qu Yuan came to be called the patriotic poet, and the concept of Qu Yuan patriotism was put forward explicitly. People started use the concept of nationality. After 1931, the interpreters of liberalism such as Hu Shi, You Guoen and Guo Moruo changed attitudes, and got closer to nationalism interpretation at different levels. Around the Anti-Japanese war, nationalism interpretation became the mainstream. The concept of patriotic poet was accepted by more and more people. And the national poet began to be used to Qu Yuan. With the Anti-Japanese war, the conception of Qu Yuan patriotism was in the transition of realization and entered world of life. It is mainly reflected in four respects: Firstly,entering political perspective. And the main political power such as the Kuomintang and the Communist Party noticed and interpreted Qu Yuan from a stance of nationalism; secondly, entering academic and educational field; thirdly, entering daily life—Qu Yuan in festivals and ceremonies. For one thing, it produced certaineffect to traditional Dragon Boat Festival. Dragon Boat Festival used to be abolished but redrew attentions in this period. At he same time, status of Qu Yuan as a commemoration at Dragon Boat Festival; for another thing, a new festival In memory of Qu Yuan was inspired, that is, Poet’s Day. Fourthly, entering popular texts of national heros.Qu Yuan as the modern nation state personification of patriotism pervaded throughout people’s world of life.As the Southern Anhwei Incident of 1941 occurred, the contradictions between Kuomintang and Communist came to the climax. Interpreters like Guo Moruo and Wen Yiduo changed their attitude again. And Marxism interpretation was on the rise.The most significant shift was that Interpreters gradually gave up the concept of“state” and “nation” of previous nationalism interpretation. Instead, they took“people” as core conception to interpret Qu Yuan, and emphasized that Qu Yuan’s rebellion against the brutal authorities and his patent bond with the people.