English Abstracts

The Historical Lesson of the “Critique of Traditions” During the May 4th Movement

Yang Chunshi

Abstract:The critique of traditional culture during the May 4th Movement has contributed to the spread of modern culture with its negation of traditions. However, due to the hastiness and weakness in the preparation of such critique, it has missed the core of traditional culture, i.e.“grace” and “virtue.” Instead, the critique marked Chinese traditional culture as “superstition” and “autocracy.” It criticized the inequality and compulsivity reasonably, but it also obliterated the humanity of Chinese traditional culture, leading to a total negation of traditional culture. The negative consequence of this one-sided cultural critique is that the evil aspect of traditional culture, namely the inequality and compulsivity of“grace” and “virtue,” were never transformed, and the existence and negative effects of disguise. Meanwhile, its rational side, i.e. “kindness” and“care,” were not inherited. This historical lesson should be learned, as it revealed the duality of the traditions. The nature of “grace” and “virtue”should be inherited critically so as to be transformed into a part of modern culture.

Commemoration and Comparison:Thoughts on the 100th Anniversary of the May 4th Movement

Wang Jianjiang

Abstract:There is a polyphonic relationship between the anti-feudalist New Culture Movement and the anti-imperialist patriotic movement in the light of a series of comparison between democracy, science, patriotism, enlightenment, and salvation during May 4th period. These clues are all intertwined and irreplaceable. The determinant element in this polyphone is the consciousness of people rather than external pressure. The existence and non-existence of humanities in China has exemplified that humanities in China cannot develop without the spirit of democracy and science as boosted by the May 4th Movement. The free spirit and independent will give birth the originality and preciseness of science, which is the only mean to the rise of Chinese humanities disciplines. By exploring the contrast between modernity, alternative-modernity and premodernism, it is found that the reflection and critical spirit of alternative-modernism is the inheritance and promotion of the spirit of May Fourth Movement, paving the way for the construction of international discourse power of Chinese humanities.

A Glance of the Propagation Process of the May 4th Movement:Dagong Bao in Changsha (1915—1947) in May 1919

Sun Hantian

Abstract:This research looks into the process of the information circulating from Beijing to Changsha, and the development of the attitude to the May 4th Movement among people from an inner city Changsha, by studying the news reports and comments regarding the May 4th Movement published in Dagong Bao in Changsha. Furthermore, this paper considers the edition and typesetting of the newspaper, which showed how Dagong Bao in Changsha held the balance between the interests of advertisers (many of them were foreign, even Japanese companies) and the patriotic passion of their readers. By focusing on these questions, this research shows a glance of the propagation process of the May 4th Movement and gives a new angle to look into the history of May 4th Movement at a national level.

Flattering Japanese for Feudal Restoration Keeping Hostile to Republican Revolution—the May 4th Movement in Zheng Xiaoxu's Diary

Chen Zhanhong

Abstract:The occasion of the May 4th Movement marked Zheng's eighth year secluding in Shanghai's “Haicang Lou.” Since Shanghai had developed a handful of mass media, one could be informed of sorts of news, home and abroad, in a timely manner, and he was also situated in the city where the May 4th Movement was influential. In his diary, from “stopping war” to “peace conference,” from May 4th to June 3rd,all were recorded. Among them were his flattering for Japanese, his attempt to restore, showing his absurd speculation; they were all cold-eyed with sneering scorn. All this is the embodiment of his consistent thought of “recovering, reciprocating, and depending on Japan.” Because of the genre of the diary, its record is relatively simple. This article combines other relevant historical materials to annotate and interpret the May 4th Movement in its diary.

Kant and The Beginning of Chinese Modern Aesthetics

Xu Bihui

Abstract:The goal of aesthetic enlightenment carried out by Liang Qichao, Wang Guowei and Cai Yuanpei, was to transform the mind of people through the popularization of aesthetics and art, to wash away the filth in human nature, and to achieve the purpose of saving the society.The reason why aesthetics and art could have such an effect was because they all regard Kant's idea of “uninterested” as the ideological resource and theoretical basis. In this sense, the beginning of modern Chinese aesthetics is closely linked to Kant's doctrine. Without the spread of Kantian aesthetic theory in China, there would be no modern Chinese aesthetics. Without the dimensionality of uninterested-ness, the history of Chinese aesthetics and ideas in the 20th century would be rewritten.

The Rise of Aesthetics and the Reconstruction of Philosophy:On the Basis of Li Zehou's Creation of a New Philosophy

Chen Yingquan

Abstract:The reconstruction of philosophy through the rise of aesthetics lays in the heart of Li Zehou's philosophical innovation. First of all, based on Chinese culture, he introduces Western aesthetics, theorizes Chinese aesthetic traditions, diversifies Western aesthetics, and defines an unusually broad field for aesthetics. Secondly, starting from philosophical aesthetics and returning to Kant, the Kant philosophy is focused on the psychological ontology, and it is transformed from bimodal confrontation of epistemology and ethics to tripartite confrontation of epistemology,ethics and aesthetics. Furthermore, the young Marx was discovered, distinguishing between Marxism for revolution and Marxism for construction,and introducing Kant's psychological ontology into the Chinese cultural preparation theory. Finally, starting with aesthetics, Li integrates Marxism,Kantian thoughts and Chinese traditions to construct his anthropology ontology. Li Zehou's philosophical innovation is a historical feat of Chinese culture absorpting Western culture. Future scholars should inherit his ideas, propositions, and doctrines.

The Gender Politics of Witchcraft—Reflection and Practice of Witchcraft Culture of Contemporary Western Feminism

Su Huimin

Abstract:With a bird's eye view of contemporary western feminism, the relation between witchcraft and woman gains unprecedented attention. Feminists consider witches as a core power in the ancient times of goddess worship. In the age of patriarchy, witchcraft and woman,bonded together, were discriminated and persecuted. The “witch-hunts” of Europe from the 15th to the 18th centuries were their concentrated manifestations. The feminist witchcraft in the contemporary context is a radical cultural politics strategy and gender politics practice against the patriarchal culture and father-god religion.

Asking Ghosts and Gods While No One is Guiding My Way: Wu Zhihui's Planchette Writing on Phonology in National Language Movement in the Early Republic China

Wang Hongchao

Abstract:In 1917, Wu Zhihui, who presided over the “Pronunciation Association” for several years, went to Sheng De Altar of Parapsychics Society of Shanghai to participate in planchette writing and ask about phonology. He got 3 planchette writings from Lu Deming, Jiang Yong and Li Deng, who were dead. These writings have aroused great social repercussions since published in Journal of Parapsychics. Wu Zhihui publicly reiterated his stance of advocating science and opposing spirits, thus fully separating himself from parapsychics activities. At that time, the magazine New Youth, which advocated the most powerful science, also published a number of articles by Chen Daqi, Qian Xuantong and others to refute them. This event is a landmark in the debate between science and spirituality in the modern history of Chinese thought, and also initiated the debate on science and metaphysics later.

Cultural Gene of Chinese Creativity and Its Mechanism—Australian Scholar Michael Keane On Chinese Creative Industry

Yang Guang

Abstract:Australian scholar Michael Keane has lots of studies about Chinese creative industry and these books point out some crucial questions. He builds a connection between culture and creativity, and considers Chinese traditional cultural gene does not support creative Zeitgeist. Nowadays, Chinese traditional culture is still affecting China. This effect will come true through cultural mechanism, such as Chinese education and copyright and so on. His research on Chinese TV provides a case about the cultural effect to cultural products and it is also a kind of travelling of culture.

Religions in Shanghai in the Past 40 Years Since the Reform and Opening up

Zhang Hua

Abstract:In the past 40 years of the reform and opening up, religion in Shanghai has also undergone great changes along with the great changes in Shanghai society. It is worth reviewing, summarizing, looking forward and thinking to further promote the harmony between religion and society,and make religion a driving force for further reform and opening up in Shanghai.

Chen Shouzhu's Reasearch Life

Zhu Donglin, Jiang Jian

Abstract:Chen Shouzhu devoted himself to the study of drama for half a century and made great contributions to the pioneering work of modern Chinese dramatics. Chen Shouzhu's drama research focuses on constructing the theoretical system of modern Chinese drama. This system takes drama ontology as the base, tragedy and drama research as the main body, and modern dramatist's theory as an important part. The strong sense of responsibility and persistent academic cultivation, the broad theoretical vision and acute aesthetic feelings, the established perspective of the construction system and the research method combining historical and aesthetic views constitute the main characteristics of Chen Shouzhu's drama research.

How Far Can Suona Culture Persist in Multiple Contexts

Xiao Qiong

Abstract:As for the dilemma of modernity, the tragic experience and narrative of Chinese traditional culture which keeps falling back and being marginalized facing the impact of western civilization, decribed in current movies and literature works, we are not strange. The film Song of the Phoenix give us a new illustration. This paper focuses on suona in films and further analyzes from the perspective of the aesthetic construction mode of ideology in daily life, the context of multiple hard choices of suona culture, the aesthetic communication links that suona uses. The paper appeals for persistence with the consciousness of tragedy in the films to prevent the blinded surrender.

Eileen Chang's Art Accomplishment and Novel Creation

Fan Xiaoli

Abstract:Taking Eileen Chang's Novels as the object, this paper analyzes the influence of Eileen Chang's art accomplishment on her novel creation from four aspects: art language participating in text creation, painting scene shaping character, art thinking promoting plot development and literature conception leading art thinking, and further explores the interaction between her art accomplishment and literature conception.

Domestic Realism in American Fiction of the Generalized Sixties

Gu Yue

Abstract:A turbulent era in post-war American history, the sixties witnessed the booming of postmodern fiction, with experiments in literary form. However, it was exactly during this period that realist authors produced a number of successful works despite all the doubt about traditional forms of the novel. Realist novels and short stories focus on the family, a lens through which the cultural and social changes of the sixties are observed and recorded. Writers such as Updike, Cheever, and Oates, by portraying the private history of the American family in the sixties, constitute a new trend of domestic realism.