1. May Fourth Movement and The Woman Question Gender Politics in Chinese Literature Professor Luo University of Kentucky Wednesday February 10, 2016 (Third day of the Lunar New year)

2. LU XUN (1881-1936)

3. Born to a traditional, wealthy, esteemed family in 1881 Went to Nanjing to study “foreign things” in 1899 and influenced by Darwin’s evolutionism Traveled to Japan in 1902 to study medical science Entered an arranged marriage against his will in 1905 Published (with his brother) a translation of 19 th century European stories in 1909 but failed to attract public interest, return to China same year Taught at local school and worked as lower governmental official until the publication of “Diary of a Madman” in 1918

4. Zhejiang Province: From Qiu Jin to Lu Xun

5. Imperial Examinations Four Books and Five Classics Eight-legged essay and exam poetry

6. 1898 -1899 Went to Naval Academy in Nanjing in 1898 Dropped out to take the imperial exam at the county level the same year Transferred to the School of Mines and Railways in 1899; studied sciences, German and English

7. Foreign Influences Huxley’s Evolution and Ethics J. S. Mill’s On Liberty Ivanhoe Uncle Tom’s Cabin And much more

8. Japan: 1902-09 Opposed Qiu Jin’s call to return to China Suggested Qiu Jin had been “clapped to death” Discussion on “national character”

9. Lu Xun on National Character The first was, what is the ideal human character? The second was what is most lacking in the Chinese race? The third was, what is the root of their ailment?…As to our probing of the second question, we thought at that time that what our people lacked most was sincerity (cheng) and love (ai)--in other words, we were infected with shameless pretence and mutual suspicion. “Lu Xun Biography,” p8

10. Anti-Confucianism Confucianism Neo-Confucianism Anti-Confucianism “My Views on Chastity” (Lu Xun, 1918)

11. Arranged Marriage and Free Love Married Zhu An, his wife arranged by his family, in 1903 Returned to Japan to study from 1904-06 Love life with Xu Guangping, his former student, starting 1925

12. Sendai, Japan (1904-06) The first foreigner ever Mr. Fujino Slide Incident Left for Tokyo

13. Return to China (1909-17) Left Tokyo for home in 1909 Moved to Beijing to work in the Ministry of Education with the Republican Government in 1912 Lived in the Shaoxing guild house copying Buddhist sutras

14. May Fourth (1917-26) The New Youth Magazine 1918 “Diary of a Madman” 1918 “My Views on Chastity” 1921 “True Story of Ah Q” 1924 “New Year’s Sacrifice” 1925 Relationship with Xu Guangping (a modern “girl student”) 1925 Regret for the Past (only “love story”)

15. Move to the left (1927-36) Lived with Xu Guangping as common law husband and wife in Shanghai Socially progressive but artistically independent Negative view of current Chinese literature League of Left-Wing Writers, mentor to young writers Chinese Alliance for the Protection of Civil Rights Congratulated CCP on the Long March in 1936

16. HOW TO DO A CLOSE READING Read with a pencil in hand, and annotate the text (if read online, take down quotations with page numbers whenever available). Look for patterns in the text—repetitions, contradictions, similarities. Ask questions about the patterns you’ve noticed—especially how and why. Pay attention to form, as well as content. What was the story about? How was it written? From whose perspective? By who? At what time? For what audience?

17. “My Views on Chastity” (Lu Xun, 1918) “degeneracy” Kang Youwei - “constitutional monarchy” Spiritualists “extolling chastity” Chen Duxiu - New Youth Chastity: only for woman Single or die

18. “My Views on Chastity”: Lu Xun’s questions In what way do unchaste women injure the country? Why should women shoulder the whole responsibility for saving the world? What purpose is served by upholding chastity? Is chastity a virtue? Have polygamous men the right to praise chastity in women? Is it difficult to be chaste? Is it painful to be chaste? Is it less painful not to be chaste? Are the sufferings of chaste women completely in vain?

19. Lu Xun, “Regret for the Past” (1925) Chuan-sheng (Juan Sheng) Tzu-chun (Zi Jun) Uncle Father flowers vs. animals Freedom’s Friend

20. Lu Xun, “Regret for the Past” (1925), some reading notes “the tyranny of home, the need to break with tradition, the equality of men and women, Ibsen, Tagore, and Shelley” “I am my own mistress, none of them has any right to interfere with me” “Chinese women were not as hopeless as the pessimists made out…” “In my nervousness, I unconsciously did what I had seen in the movies.” “Every instant I had to summon all my pride and defiance to my support. She was quite fearless, however, …”

21. Regret for the Past (1925) Love and change Western romanticism and Chinese reality Freedom, liberty, and tradition Superstructure vs. economic foundation Cohabitation vs. women’s independence, love vs. regret Male narrator vs. female image Identity crisis

22. FURTHER QUESTIONS: Writer vs. narrator: who are speaking about Chinese women? When? Through what means? To what audience? For what purpose? How effective?

23. Yu Dafu (1896 ‐ 1945) Born 1896 in Fuyang, Zhejiang Studied in private schools and at home until 1913 Studied in Japan from 1913 to 1922 Published a collection of three stories, including “Sinking,” in 1921 Associated with Creation Society, 1921 ‐ 1929 Closely associated with Lu Xun from 1927 to 1931 but withdrawn from League of Left-wing Writers in 1930 Retreated in Hanzhou from politics from 1932 to 1936 Active in anti ‐ Japanese resistance during the second Sino ‐ Japanese War (1937 ‐ 1945) and shot by the Japanese at the end of the war