Comparison of Two Groups of Chinese Writers

This study will examine the nature of the differences between contemporary Chinese writers and Chinese writers associated with the earlier May Fourth literary group. The argument of the study will be that although the notions of literary creation of both groups are similar, there are indeed major differences between the two, and these differences are due to the times and circumstances of their lives and by the genres in which they write or wrote. Specifically, as with all literary movements, each group was or is marked by their desire to break from some important features or attitudes of the approach of earlier writers. The May Fourth group was intent on breaking away from the earlier, more traditional approach, while contemporary writers were and are trying to break from the approach of the May Fourth writers.

As Edward Morin writes in his Introduction to The Red Azalea: Chinese Poetry Since the Cultural Revolution, the May Fourth movement had its origins in the Literary Revolution of 1917:

The most obvious feature of this May Fourth legacy is a preoccupation with China's multitude of pressing political, economic, and cultural problems---concerns reflected not only in the subject matter by modern Chinese writers but also in how and why they wrote.

. . . These writers saw the main function of imaginative writing to be the truthful depiction of the social reality of the times. They wanted to hasten the destruction of the ancient and decrepit social order so that from it

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in "The True Story of Ah Q," immediately demonstrates the overriding realism of the May Fourth writers by addressing at length the questions of the titling of the story, the very name of his protagonist, as well as his origins. By doing so, the author implicitly calls into question the traditional work of pre-May Fourth writers who would take such issues for granted and would never question them, certainly not in the story itself. The character of Ah Q himself is a man who "was conceited" and "had the greatest contempt for townspeople" (Masterpieces 7). This character is thoroughly castigated by Lu Xun, in line with the May Fourth writers' efforts to reject the traditional view of the earlier generation which was based on an elitist philosophy which similarly included contempt for the average Chinese. In this regard, there is a connection between the May Fourth and contemporary groups, both of which attempt to make more real and meaningful the link between literature and the average citizen or reader. However, unlike the contemporary writers, Lu Xun, in representing the May Fourth outlook, also has negative things to say about the impact of traditional culture on the average people themselves: Naturally all agreed that Ah Q ha

Category: Foreign - C