Campus Units
World Languages and Cultures
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Version
Accepted Manuscript
Publication Date
2018
Journal or Book Title
The Routledge Handbook of Modern Chinese Literature
Volume
2
Issue
21
First Page
290
Last Page
302
Abstract
Modern essay, or creative nonfiction prose, whose success almost surpasses that of poetry, theater and fiction,1 was born out of the marriage of traditional Chinese and Western culture.2 On a superficial level, it distinguishes itself from traditional essay by using vernacular instead of classical or literary Chinese, and thus is more accessible to the masses. In terms of genre, it is narrower in scope than traditional essay which includes all non-verse writings, literary or not. More importantly, as Yu Dafu points out, modern essay values the expression of individuality and personality more than any other writings.3 By contrast, traditional essay assumed a political and ideological mission to assists state operation, or to uphold the Way (zaidao) by such figures as Cao Pi (187–226), Liu Xie (465–520), and Han Yu (768–824). In the eyes of modern essayists, traditional essay would be propagandist.
Copyright Owner
Routledge Taylor & Francis Group
Copyright Date
2018
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Li, Tonglu, "Modern Chinese Essays: Zhou Zuoren, Lin Yutang and others" (2018). World Languages and Cultures Publications. 195.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/language_pubs/195
Included in
Modern Languages Commons, Modern Literature Commons, Nonfiction Commons, Poetry Commons, Technical and Professional Writing Commons
Comments
This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in Routledge Handbook of Modern Chinese Literature 1st Edition Edited by Ming Dong Gu. on 2018 , available online: https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Handbook-of-Modern-Chinese-Literature-1st-Edition/Gu/p/book/9781138647541. Posted with permission.