In this blog post, we’ll explore the life and literary world of Lu Xun, a master of modern Chinese literature, and reflect on why he is remembered as a revolutionary while also being a writer who harbored deep compassion for humanity. If Hu Shi (胡適) is compared to Korea’s Choi Nam-seon in the history of modern Chinese literature, Lu Xun (魯迅) played a pioneering role in modern poetry and...
How Did Lu Xun Seek to Awaken the Chinese People?
In this blog post, we will examine Lu Xun’s literary transformation—through which he sought to awaken the ailing spirit of the Chinese people—and the satire found in his masterpiece, ‘The True Story of Ah Q’. Lu Xun’s Transformation and the Birth of ‘A Cry’ Lu Xun (1881–1936) grew up in affluence as a child in a family of minor landowners belonging to the literati...
How did Kong Shangren’s play ‘The Peach Blossom Thread’ interweave the rise and fall of the late Ming dynasty with a personal love story?
In this blog post, we will analyze Kong Shangren’s life and literary world, focusing specifically on how ‘The Peach Blossom Thread’ uses historical facts and dramatic devices to prompt reflection on the rise and fall of an era. Kong Shangren’s Life and Literary World Kong Shangren (孔尙任, 1648–1718) was born in Qufu, Shandong Province; his identity and the sentiments flowing...
Lu Xun’s Melancholy and Enlightenment as Seen Through ‘A Madman’s Diary’
This blog post examines Lu Xun’s melancholy and enlightenment consciousness revealed through ‘A Madman’s Diary’, revisiting its meaning from today’s perspective. Melancholy is the product of knowledge. The more we know, the more we suffer. For we come to know the good, the bad, and even the wrong. For those who seek to change what they know for the better, that suffering...