In the grand narrative of modern Chinese literature, we have often grown accustomed to viewing the "May Fourth Movement" as the starting point, while overlooking earlier intellectual currents and stylistic transformations. Could there be another possibility for how literary history is written?
Recently, the Lingnan University Institute for Advanced Study (LUIAS) conferred the honorary title of "Senior Lingnan Scholar" upon Professor Xu Zidong, former Head and Professor of the Department of Chinese at Lingnan University. At the same event, Xu delivered a public lecture titled "The Beginning of Modern Chinese Literature," proposing several groundbreaking viewpoints: firstly, a re-evaluation of the value of Chinese literature from the 1950s to the 1970s, and secondly, an inquiry into the true origins of modern literature. Breaking through the traditional perspective that holds the May Fourth Movement and New Youth as the ultimate standard, he guided the audience to trace back to earlier historical contexts. He pointed out that developments ranging from Liang Qichao's Novel Revolution, the four great late Qing novels, Han Bangqing's The Shanghai Marvel, and even Yang Tingyun's works from the late Ming dynasty, could all be considered as the origins of modern literature.
In the subsequent interview, Xu highlighted that Liang Qichao first introduced the concept of the "Chinese Nation" in 1901, laying a foundation for modern literary narratives. He noted that Liang's Novel Revolution transformed the status of fiction, and his work, The Future of New China, written in vernacular Chinese, outlined the prototype of modern Chinese storytelling with remarkable predictions.
Xu also discussed his teaching philosophy and academic practices, emphasizing a departure from the traditional "Time — Author — Text" framework. He guides students to focus on the texts themselves to address the neglect of primary sources in current scholarship. Additionally, he explained how he uses public media to encourage dialogue between academia and contemporary society, offering insights into the unique value of Hong Kong literature within the broader context of Chinese literature.
(Reporter: Liu Yu | Cameraman & Video Editor: Yuge | Editor: Liu Yu)
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