초록 열기/닫기 버튼
This paper examines the written debates over “Xinwenyi Bifa (writing style of New Literature)” which were mainly published in Zazhi Yuekan (Miscellany Monthly). The written discussion was one of the few detailed and constructive event in Shanghai literary circle, albeit under the shadow of the control of Japanese wartime occupation. While the debates have been conventionally categorized as criticisms pertaining to May Fourth literature, this essay shifts the focus toward “Dazhonghua (massification)” discourse, carrying out a historical research on how Shanghai literati had contrasting approaches and visions on massifcation of New Literature in early 1940s. The debate was triggered by Li Baiying’s fierce criticism against so-called “Xinwenyi qiang (style of New literature writing)”. Li suggests that literature should be written in clear and easy, everyday colloquial language so as to allow common Chinese people such as the rural or cooks and nannies to listen to and understand it. Li’s bold insistence on massification, however, was regarded as out of date in the written discussion. The majority participants defended current New Literature writings because they are modern art that reflect Modern culture, only with slight flaw that is discordance between content and form. In several articles that were published a few months later, Li Baiying more clearly builds the theory of folk literature, with which he criticizes against New Literature’s transformation into an elevated style of new written language (Xin wenyan) as well as its bearing characteristics of Europeanized grammar. He urges his fellow writers in Shanghai to adopt more of everyday language spoken by contemporary peasants and workers. Li’s theorization of folk literature is also coupled with his editing and contributing to Minsu Yuekan (Fork Monthly).
키워드열기/닫기 버튼
the Miscellany Monthly, “writing style of New Literature” debate, Massification, Li Baiying, folk literature
