Abstract
The emergence of A Madman's Diary resulted from the full integration of reformative forces within traditional Chinese culture and the influences of modern Western culture. In particular, the tradition of anti-Neo-Confucianism during the Ming and Qing Dynasties provided a crucial internal impetus for the birth of a new culture. The rich and complex intellectual resources surrounding the figure of madman in the anti-Neo-Confucian thought contributed to the creation of modern madman. Despite the restrictive literary form imposed by Neo-Confucian orthodoxy, the diary became an important vehicle for the gentry to develop personal spiritual space and new modes of cognition. As a form of marginal resistance against orthodoxy, the diary laid the internal foundation for the emergence of new literary forms. The ideological and stylistic resources of anti-Neo-Confucianism thus served as a conduit for integrating modern Western thought and literature. By fully utilizing aspects that resonated with modern ideas and aesthetics, they helped foster the creation of Chinese new literature with modern thought and form. Furthermore, enriched by deep historical roots and a complex contemporary context, Chinese new literature reflected the intense cultural dynamics and ideological evolution characteristic of a period marked by the fierce clash of civilizations.
Keywords
Lu Xun, A Madman's Diary, Neo-Confucianism, Ming and Qing Dynasties
First Page
165
Last Page
174
Recommended Citation
Sun, Wei. 2025. "Anti-Neo-Confucianism in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Birth of Lu Xun's A Madman's Diary." Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art 45, (2): pp.165-174. https://tsla.researchcommons.org/journal/vol45/iss2/16
