The traditional and modern conflicts of the literary innovation at the threshold of the 20th century --Exemplified by the debates between the late Tongcheng School and May Fourth new literature

Abstract

As the greatest event in the historical development of Chinese literature in the 20th century, May Fourth literary revolution expedites the transition of the Chinese literature from tradition to modernity by advocating the reforms in literary concepts, genres and language. The so-called Tongcheng School which lasts more than two hundred years in the Qing dynasty turns out to be a sacrifice in the old and new conflicts of the literary revolution at the turn of the 20th century. The paper attempts to explore further the conflicts and difficulties during the process of this transition by analyzing the late Tongcheng School and its conflicts with the May Fourth new literature in the hope of deepening the understanding of the literary innovation.

Keywords

Tongcheng School / May Fourth new literature / contemporary Literature / innovation spirit / aesthetic awareness

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2014 Higher Education Press and Brill