introduction to postwar taiwan fiction unit 9: the arrival of modernism lecturer: richard rong-bin...
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Introduction to Postwar Taiwan Fiction
Unit 9:The Arrival of Modernism
Lecturer:
Richard Rong-bin Chen,
PhD of Comparative Literature.
Unless noted, the course materials are licensed under Creative Commons Unless noted, the course materials are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Taiwan (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) 1
The Focuses of Modernism• Literary techniques
• Closely related to Western literature and culture
• Exploration of the protagonists’ inner world
• Age of transformation
• Concerns personal and family problems
• Politically detached, as opposed to Anti-Communist and Nativist-realist literature
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Where the Story of May 4th Movement Began
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• 1898: Jiaozhou Bay was leased to the German Empire by the Qing government for 99 years.
• The First World War: Japan declared war on Germany in September 1914, taking the German concessions in Shandong in only two months.
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• 1919: the Paris Peace Conference decided to transfer the rights of German Empire to Japan.
• May 4th, 1919: infuriated by the decision, the students of Beijing University called for a grand gathering at the Tienanmen Square, more than 3000 students attended.
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Protestors from Beijing University at the May Fourth Movement, dissatisfied with the Treaty of Versailles for China.
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A group of students gathered and burned Japanese goods on the campus of Tsinghua University.
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The cover of the first issue of The Renaissance [ 新潮 , literally, New Tide] As interpreted by Hu Shi, the movement
http://tupian.hudong.com/a1_03_07_01300000242024122156073410204_jpg.html?prd=zhengwenye_left_neirong_tupian
According Hu Shi [ 胡適 ], one of the most prominent Chinese scholar in the 20th century and a leading figure of the movement, as it was argued in one of his lectures delivered in Chicago University in 1933, the movement had a diversity of aspects:
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First, it was a conscious movement to promote a new literature in the living language of the people to take the place of the classical literature of old. Second, it was a movement of conscious protest against many of the ideas and institutions in the traditional culture, and of conscious emancipation of the individual man and woman from the bondage of force of tradition. (p.300)
Source: (2001). Milena Dolezelová-Velingerová and Oldřich Král (Eds.), The appropriation of cultural capital : China's May Fourth Project, Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Asia Center : Distributed by Harvard University Press
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It was a movement of reason versus tradition, freedom versus authority, and glorification of life and human values versus their suppression. And lastly, strange enough, this new movement was led by men who knew their culture heritage and tried to study it with the new methodology of modern historical criticism and research. In that sense it was a humanist movement. (p.300)
Source: (2001). Milena Dolezelová-Velingerová and Oldřich Král (Eds.), The appropriation of cultural capital : China's May Fourth Project, Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Asia Center : Distributed by Harvard University Press
• The Effects of the Movement
• Boosted the self-awareness among the Chinese people, especially the students and laborers.
• The establishment of CCP.
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• The more modern values, such as democracy and science, were brought to the table and given more attention.
• Imperialism and feudalism were met with great opposition in China, nationalism emphasized.
• The new vernacular literature got wider circulation and publicity.
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“Declaration of the Tienanmen Grand Gathering”:
• “China’s land may be conquered, but it can never be given up; Chinese people may be killed, but they can never be subjugated!”
• ( 中國的土地可以征服而不可以斷送！中國的人民可以殺戮而不可以低頭！ )
• Another Famous Slogan
• “Struggle for the sovereignty externally, get rid of the national traitors at home!”
• ( 外爭國權，內懲國賊 )14
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From Beida to Taida: The Heritage of the May Fourth Movement
• A renown historian and linguist
• One of the founders of The Renaissance
• One of the student leaders of the May Fourth Movement
• Acting president of Beijing University (1945-46)
• The fifth president of NTU (1949-1950)
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Source: This work is from Wikipeida http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:National_Taiwan_University_logo.jpg, but the original source is from National Taiwan University It is used subject to the fair use doctrine of:•Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.
National Taiwan University
19The Statue of President Fu
Source: This work is from National Taiwan University Library, Gallery of University History http://gallery.lib.ntu.edu.tw/archives/452It is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.•National Taiwan University Library Terms of Use: http://photo.lib.ntu.edu.tw/pic/image_new/manual.htm
National Taiwan University Library, Gallery of University History
• Cultivate virtue, advance intellect; love one's country, love one's people
• ( 敦品勵學，愛國愛人 )
• Virtue: the moral values of freedom and democracy
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The Motto of NTU
• Intellect: rationality and science
• Love one’s country: nationalism
• Love one’s people: humanitarianism
• NTU students should be the inheritors and practitioners of the spirit of May 4th Movement
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The Relationship between the May 4th Movement and Protect Diaoyutai Islands Movement?
“China’s land may be conquered, but it can never be given up; Chinese people may be killed, but they can never be subjugated!”
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The Similarities
• Anti-Japanese
• Student Activism
• Stood up for the integrity of Chinese territory
• Nationalism
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Winter Nights
• Wen-chou street.
• An old house, not well decorated and furnished.
• Bald head.
• Lame right leg.
• Professor Yü Chin-lei’s past heroism left no trace
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The Contrast of Characters
• Yü Chin-lei: a professor teaching Byron in NTU
• Wu Chu-kuo: a professor teaching history of Tang and Sung in University of California, a “deserter”
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• Chia I-sheng: a professor, tripped on a shallow gutter and died, with a ill wife staying in the hospital, without enough money being left behind to pay for his funeral
• Lu Chung: a professor teaching philosophy in Beijing University
• Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom [ 百花齊放 ]
• History of Chinese Philosophy26
Shao Tzu-chi: a government official of
ROC
Chen Hsiung: a great traitor who had been
executed
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The Contrast of Wives
• Idealism and Romanticism in the past vs. Difficult realities in the present
• Ya-hsing: beauty queen of a normal university in Beijing, had died years ago
• ”Romeo and Juliette”
• The unnamed second wife: went to a neighbor’s house for playing mahjong
• not even interested in meeting Wu Chu-kuo
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Yü: an expert of Byron, some cantos of Don Juan remained unfinished in 7 or 8 yearsHow Byron’s romanticism could be related to Yü’s life?
Ever since the day Professor Yü chastised his wife in extreme ill-humor, no one had ventured to touch even a single stray page in that pile-up in the sitting-room. Some time before, his wife had taken his books out to air and lost his notes on Byron’s poems, which he had left between the pages of an Oxford edition of the poet’s works. He had written these notes when he was teaching at Peking University more than twenty years ago and they continued the fruits of long study and reflection. (p.338)
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Source: Pai Hsien-yung. (1976). Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, New York : Columbia University Press
The three events of student activism
• The May Fourth Movement in 1919
• Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom in the 1950s
• The Student activism in the US in the late 1960s
• Pai Hsien-yung started to teach Chinese language and literature in UC Santa Barbara in 1965, just in time for the scene of activism on university campuses.
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The Convention held in San FranciscoThe words from a Harvard graduateHis conclusion:
Thus began the long period of their spiritual exile: some threw themselves into totalitarianism; some retreated and took refuge in their tattered tradition; some fled abroad and became wise hermits concerned only with themselves. Thus what started as a revolutionary movement disintegrated and change its nature. Then he concluded: ‘Some Chinese scholars like to compare the May Fourth Movement to a Chinese Renaissance. But I consider it, at best, to be a cultural abortion!’ (p.346)
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Source: Pai Hsien-yung. (1976). Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, New York : Columbia University Press
The Dialogue with Chün-yenScience as an ideal of progress and rationality vs. science as a career
“Uncle Wu, is it easy to get a fellowship in Physics at the University of California?” Chün-yen asked with interest.
“ Well…” Wu Chu-kuo hesitated a moment. “I’m not too up on that. Of course, there is more financial aid in the sciences then in the humanities.”
“Is it true that the Physics Department often spends more than half a million dollars on one single experiment?” Chün-yen’s youthful face gleamed with envy.(p.351)
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Source: Pai Hsien-yung. (1976). Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, New York : Columbia University Press
“ America is a very rich country, after all ,” Wu Chu-kuo responded. Chün-yen stood there for a while, then excused himself. Watching the retreating figure of his son, Professor Yü whispered, “Every young man nowadays dreams of going abroad to study science or engineering.”
“Yes, that’s the trend, that’s the trend.”
“We went all out for ‘Mr. Science’ in our time, didn’t we? Now look what science does- it’s almost snatched away our rice-bowl!” (p.351)
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Source: Pai Hsien-yung. (1976). Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, New York : Columbia University Press
Wang Wen-hsing (1939-)
• A native of Fukien Province.
• Graduate of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, NTU.
• Co-founder of Modern Literature.
• Acquired his master’s degree from University of Iowa in 1965.
• Had taught in NTU for 40 years before retired in 2005.
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Works by Wang Wen-hsing
• Two story collections in the late 60s and early 70s.
• ”The Flaw” (1964).
• Family Catastrophe (1973).
• Back Against the Sea, Vol. 1 (1981)
• Back Against the Sea, Vol. 2 (1999)
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Elements in “The Flaw”
• Wang’s Childhood in Tung-an Street.
• First love.
• Awakening in an 11-year-old teenager.
• Urban development and change.
• The ugliness behind something so beautiful.
• What does the title mean?36
37
This work is licensed by 王文興 for the use of “Course Database of General Education TW” ONLY. The copyright belongs to the above mentioned entity and GET does not have the authorization right. Copyright privileges have to be negotiated with the copyright owner(s) for separately.
38
http://yearbook.taipei.gov.tw/fp.asp?fpage=cp&xItem=56181&ctNode=5831&mp=100038
Idyllic Description of the residential area
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Tung-an Street was a quit little alley, with less than a hundred families along its entire length. Slightly curved around its middle, the street stretched all the way to the great gray river at the end. Actually, viewed form the vantage point of the river bank, there were very few pedestrians on the street, which, with its polish body and meandering path, was virtually a small river itself. (p.15) Source: Wang Wen-hsing. (1976).
Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, New York : Columbia University Press
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Such was the tranquil picture when I was eleven; later, as small cars were allowed to pass through the street, the atmosphere of quiet seclusion was lost altogether. My present reminiscences hark back to the era before the arrival of the cars.(p.15)
Source: Wang Wen-hsing. (1976). Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, New York : Columbia University Press
The three-storied house It was at a time when Taipei, still
untouched by affluence, was just beginning to prosper, and a number of three-storied buildings could be seen cropping up here and there. Ever since the previous winter, we children had been watching with interest the construction of such a building on the vacant lot in front of our houses. (p.16)
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Source: Wang Wen-hsing. (1976). Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, New York : Columbia University Press
Our feelings were excitement mingled with sadness; we were excited because, as children, we felt an immense satisfaction with all novel experiences- new sights, new sounds, new objects, new undertakings-and sad because we were losing our favorite playground for after-school ball games. (p.16)
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Source: Wang Wen-hsing. (1976). Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, New York : Columbia University Press
The Flaw. I had undergone enough minor suffering
to be able to devise a means of avoiding pain. That was : if you happened to form an emotional attachment to a certain thing or a certain person, the best thing to do was to immediately look for a fault therein, upon which you would then be able to withhold your affection and thus lighten the burden.(p.17)
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Source: Wang Wen-hsing. (1976). Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, New York : Columbia University Press
During the next few day, I often concealed myself directly opposite her shop and scrutinized her with cold detachment, in an effort to discover some ugliness in her. But the longer I watched, the more beautiful she seemed. I realized then that love had so deeply embedded itself that there was no way of uprooting it. I would have to live with it.(p.17)
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Source: Wang Wen-hsing. (1976). Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, New York : Columbia University Press
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10 First, it was a conscious movement… bondage of force of tradition.
(2001). Milena Dolezelová-Velingerová and Oldřich Král (Eds.), The appropriation of cultural capital : China's May Fourth Project, (p.300)Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Asia Center : Distributed by Harvard University Press. It is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.
11It was a movement of reason versus … was a humanist movement.
(2001). Milena Dolezelová-Velingerová and Oldřich Král(Eds.), The appropriation of cultural capital : China's May Fourth Project, (p.300)Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Asia Center : Distributed by Harvard University Press. It is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act. 45
Copyright DeclarationPage Work Licensing Author/Source
16Wikipedia Chakrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fu_Ssu-nien.jpg2012/05/03 visited
18
This work is from Wikipeida http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:National_Taiwan_University_logo.jpg, but the original source is from National Taiwan University It is used subject to the fair use doctrine of:•Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.
19
This work is from National Taiwan University Library, Gallery of University History http://gallery.lib.ntu.edu.tw/archives/452It is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.•National Taiwan University Library Terms of Use: http://photo.lib.ntu.edu.tw/pic/image_new/manual.htm
30
Ever since the day Professor Yü chastised …long study and reflection.
Pai Hsien-yung. (1976). Winter Nights. Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, (p.228) New York : Columbia University Press. It is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.
32 Thus began the long period of …to be a cultural abortion!’
Pai Hsien-yung. (1976). Winter Nights. Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, (p.346) New York : Columbia University Press.It is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.
33“Uncle Wu, is it easy to get … face gleamed with envy.
Pai Hsien-yung. (1976). Winter Nights. Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, (p.351) New York : Columbia University Press. It is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act. 46
Copyright DeclarationPage Work Licensing Author/Source
34America is a very …it’s almost snatched away our rice-bowl!”
Pai Hsien-yung. (1976). Winter Nights. Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, (p.351) New York : Columbia University Press. It is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.
38
This work is licensed by 王文興 for the use of “Course Database of General Education TW” ONLY. The copyright belongs to the above mentioned entity and GET does not have the authorization right. Copyright privileges have to be negotiated with the copyright owner(s) for separately.
40
Tung-an Street was a quit little alley , …virtually a small river itself.
Wang Wen-hsing. (1976). Flaw. Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, (p.15) New York : Columbia University Press.It is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.
41Such was the tranquil picture when …the arrival of the cars.
Wang Wen-hsing. (1976). Flaw. Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, (p.15) New York : Columbia University Press.It is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.
42It was at a time when …lot in front of our houses.
Wang Wen-hsing. (1976). Flaw. Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, (p.16) New York : Columbia University Press.It is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.
43 Our feelings were excitement … for after-school ball games.
Wang Wen-hsing. (1976). Flaw. Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, (p.16) New York : Columbia University PressIt is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.
47
Copyright DeclarationPage Work Licensing Author/Source
44
I had undergone enough minor suffering to…affection and thus lighten the burden
Wang Wen-hsing. (1976). Flaw Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, (p.17) New York : Columbia University PressIt is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.
45 During the next few day, I often …it. I would have to live with it.
Wang Wen-hsing. (1976). Flaw Joseph S. M. Lau (Ed.), Chinese stories from Taiwan, 1960-1970, (p.17) New York : Columbia University PressIt is used subject to the fair use doctrine of: •Articles 52 & 65 of Taiwan Copyright Act.
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