Perception of Modernity and Tradition



Perception of Modernity and Tradition

Mao Dun's Inspirations and Their Impact

Western Authors and Ideologies

Mao Dun derived his distinct brand of realism from an amalgamation of foreign and indigenous influences, though unlike many of his contemporaries, Mao Dun did not study abroad, encountering Western literature at Beijing University and the Shanghai Commercial Press, instead. The two Western authors who had the most profound influence were Emile Zola and Leo Tolstoy. Despite their contradictory worldviews and works, Mao Dun appears to have incorporated both literary giants into his work, reshaping their ideologies to fit Chinese paradigms and his own agenda. Earlier literary critics claimed ignorance shaped Mao Dun's unusual appropriation of Western

In addition to the naturalism Mao Dun adapted from Zola, critics also note the presence of Leo Tolstoy's humanitarianism. Tolstoy based most of his works on journal entries that reflected a deeper devotion to the fate of society than concern with aesthetics. Although Tolstoy's Chinese readers had little interest in his belief that literature should advance the Christian brotherhood, they gravitated toward Tolstoy's style because of his passion to save society. Mao Dun strove to be the same sort of social savior, and according to Wang, “Though he personally favors symbolism and neo-romanticism, Mao Dun declares that he is obliged to promote a realist/naturalist movement since it best meets China's current needs.”

Chinese tradition and climate

In addition to the Western influences discussed above, several inherently Chinese forces influenced Mao Dun's use of historical fiction. Due to Confucian rationalism, the lack of an epic tradition, and the derision of mythology among intellectuals, many Chinese considered history the only indigenous form of prose writing. In fact, fiction did not distinguish itself from history until writers in the Tang Dynasty adopted fictional elements from Indian culture. May Fourth writers felt compelled to document what was happening in their country during the Revolutionary Period, and authors like Mao Dun felt a certain urgency to capture events while they remained fresh in their readers' minds. Barriers to social transformation seemed to crop up everywhere: power struggles with landlords, internal civil war between the Guomingdang and the Chinese Communist Party, and the external war against Japanese aggression. Every aspect of the revolution influenced society, and authors such as Mao Dun used these events as historical backdrops for their work. In Mao Dun's fiction, the author portrays events like the Mukden Incident of 1931, the nationalist/communist split, and the Japanese closure of Chinese silk factories in a personal way.

This focus on current events encourages revisionist history. Members of the Communist Party harshly criticized Mao Dun's work, alleging that his stories, which aimed at presenting reality, rather than “socialist reality,” were nothing more than “bourgeoisie realism,” or propaganda. In their works these writers disagreed over realism's purpose; orthodox communist members claimed realism should promote the proletarian cause by focusing on the benefits of socialism, while others like Mao Dun strove to be more objective.

“Spring Silkworms”

“Spring Silkworms” examines rural life with the same fatalistic perspective as The Lin ...