The Historical and Literary Creation of an “Ideal Character”: A Reexmination of the Image of Liang Shengbao

Abstract

Among the series of characters created in Seventeen-Year Literature (1949-66), Liang Shengbao is a unique figure particularly worth studying. In Builders of a New Life (Chuangyeshi), Liu Qing attempts to presents his understanding of the realization of the agricultural cooperative movement through the narration of Liang Shengbao's traits and personality. As a consequence, the creation of Liang Shengbao, an ideal character,has both historical and literary meanings. Based on the analysis of Liu Qing's "writing method," this paper reveal is the historical and literary creation mechanism of Liang Shengbao by comparing and interpreting the relationship, the writing method, and the differences between Liang Shengbao and other characters close to him, thus unfolding the research significance of this ideal character.

Key words： Builders of a New Life, Liang Shengbao, ideal character, new character, socialist realism