The Role of Chinese Intellectuals in Social Reform - Term Paper Example

The Role of Chinese Intellectuals in Social Reform Chinese literature is very rich and provides insights of the societal values of the Chinese people. There are numerous short stories written by Chinese authors that provide the reader with reliable reference in understanding the perception of Chinese intellectuals and their social standing. In addition, these stories also reveal how the self-perception of the intellectuals in the society. This essay will analyze four of such stories and highlight what they reveal about Chinese intellectuals. In Lu Hsuns story, "My Old home”, it becomes evident that the societal intellectuals experienced a form of alienation. This story reflects the social status of China during the early years of the 20th century and seeks to depict the perception of intellectuals regarding the situation (Larson 116). The protagonist of the story manages to surpass the level of the common people in society. In his childhood, he felt a strong connection with his community and home. He experienced the feeling of belonging to the entire society. However, as he reveals, the prevailing circumstances compelled him to move to a distant land in order to rebuild and enhance their lives. The situation described in his home area makes it evident that residing in his home area translated to a high level of futility. This futility compelled him to seek a promising future elsewhere. Apparently, he also intended to improve the circumstance of his family. These intentions prompted him to leave his old home and venture into a new area, cutting him off from his community. On his return, he felt a strangeness that he had never experienced in the preceding years when he had lived in his old home. Since he had lived away from home for a remarkably long time, his old home had changed immensely, and at one point it seemed beyond his recognition. The situation of the people had not changed much. Suffering still prevailed, and the people struggle to access necessities (Larson 116). However, the perspective of the protagonist towards his old home had changed after he had found a better. This highlights the fact that the societal intellectuals experienced a form of dissatisfaction concerning the social status of their old home. They recognized the need for change but realized the hindrances that stood in the way for change. When Hsun met his old friend Ju-ntu, he became more aware of the inherent difference that had developed between them over them. He empathized with his old friend because of the poverty that he had endured in his life. He had come to rescue his family from the prevailing hustle but that was the most he could do in his life. He pitied the situation of the other villagers, but he lacked the potential of changing status of the people. Hsun illustrated the role played by intellectuals in prompting societal change. This became evident in his bid to help the neighbors, and the empathy he directed to them. Moving his family to a new abode was the practical part of his participation in his reform. As the author illustrates, the intellectuals realized that they had the capacity to contribute positively to societal change (Larson 117). During the critical times when China desired to bring about change, literature prove to be the best avenue for intellectuals to air their views and contribute to the surging debate concerning China’s social problems during that time. In a different story by the same author, it becomes evident that literature played the role of highlighting the opinion of intellectuals concerning the issue of social change. In the ‘Wine Shop’, the protagonist of the story feels alienated from his original home (Lomová 352). Lo Szu Inn had returned to his hometown to find thing changed. From the onset of the story, the author highlights the existence of like-minded friends who had exhibited an impetus towards positive contribution to reforming society. These were the friends of Inn before he had moved to distant town. This story ascertains the fact that young intellectuals considered moving to new places in search of better opportunities. On his return, Inn realized that most of his friends had relocated, and without them, he felt cut off from his home. This translates to the fact that the young intellectuals had similar lines of thought and could discuss trivial matters. The emergence of Wei-Fu was an unexpected occurrence, and this shifted the story from Inn to his views on what he had achieved in contributing to societal change. Wei-fu lamented about the futile activities that had dominated his life. He considered them futile because they were insignificant pertaining his contribution to social change. He expressed his worry that all the other members of the enlightened group that they belonged before relocating to new areas. Being an intellectual, he judged himself a failure because he had taken too long before making any positive strides towards societal enhancement. The fact that he mentions his former friends would express his discontent with his achievements reveals that they strategized on the importance of contributing towards the society. It becomes evident that the young intellectuals realized that they had the responsibility of driving social change in order to enhance the social status of the people (Lomová 352). The conversation that ensued between the old friends revealed the desire of the intellectuals in rebuilding their society. The lament and regret they expressed served to emphasize that the venture was not easy and that they faced many challenges that accounted for the lack of remarkable action. Wei-fu also ascertained that there were inherent challenges despite his intention of contributing positively to social reform. He mentioned that at the school that he taught, the level of education lagged behind. He expressed his regret that he was in no capacity to alter the opinion of the people concerning the type of education that their children received. Evidently, this story reveals the dilemma of the intellectuals concerning social reform. The depicted dilemma reflects the debate that ensued in the 1920s concerning social reform. These intellectuals considered literature as a powerful tool in expressing their desire to see a transforming Chinese society. Yu Dafu‘s story ‘sinking’ also emphasizes on the perception of intellectuals concerning the Japanese society. The story highlights the views of a Chinese student studying in Japan. The opinions and behavior of the student living between the Japanese reflect China’s condition during the start of the 20th century (Mostow 382). According to history, during this period, China was facing a dilemma. The dilemma resulted from the radical transformation that it was undergoing. After prevailing in conservative and traditional setting for long, they realized it was time to embark on a venture of change. The preceding society adhered onto the traditional way of thinking, and the ways of that society were inherent in the perception of the student studying in Japan. Through out his stay in Japan, the Chinese student struggled to fit into the homogenous Japanese society but to no avail. In many instances, he felt resentment towards the Japanese society and way of life. This feeling receives it justification from the fact the chine se and Japanese way of life were completely parallel (Mostow 382). The student withheld from forming any acquaintances because of he adhered to the traditional Chinese thinking. Despite the initiatives from the Japanese students, he restrained from associating with them because they had varying perception of societal structure during that period. Although at some point he gave it a trial, it did not work and with time, he settled back into his cocoon of traditional values. The student is a representative of Chinese intellectuals during the critical period of change. His behavior exhibited multiple values from the traditional Chinese perception and these prompted him to refrain from associating with the Japanese who had a different heritage (Mostow 382). This implies that the Chinese intellectuals had to battle with the unconscious influence from the old way of thinking. This makes it clear that abandoning the constrictive and conservative Chinese perspective required determination. The change needed time for it to prove efficient. The dilemma of the young intellect reveals the experience of Chinese intellectuals as they pursued social reform. The fact that he immersed himself in endless thought concerning his experience portrays the concern of Chinese intellectuals. At some point, he tried to become part of the larger society and this move reflected the desire of the intellectuals to drive social change. Moreover, it reveals that the old way of thinking posed a serious barrier for the induction of the new way of life. This explains why the Chinese society experienced turmoil as they strived to realize a transformation. In addition, the student seemed to derive a level of contentment from reading western literature. This implies that western literature played a critical role in influencing the thinking of the Chinese intellectuals. It proved to be a reliable point of reference for the intellectuals who sought to pioneer in the venture of adopting a new way of thinking. Moreover, a connection with nature was the other aspect that would glue together the changing Chinese society. This story relates the struggle of the Chinese intellectuals as they strived to promote a new way of thinking. Mo Yan highlights the significance of Chinese intellectuals in his story "White Dog and the Swings". The author is representative of the intellectual group and highlights a saddening situation in the Chinese society that needed the intervention of the intellectuals. The author highlights a protagonist who returns to his homeland with the intentions of meeting his former girlfriend after a long time of separation (Cai 23). The return presented surprises that prompt the reader’s perceptive powers to realize the prevailing situations in Chinese society. He realized that the beautiful girlfriend that he had once known had lost sight in one eye and had settled in marriage with a man who was deaf and dumb. The most devastating happening was the fact that all the children from this marriage lacked the capacity of vision, talking, and hearing. This state of helplessness and devastation portrayed by the author reflected the state of the Chinese society during that time. The society adhered to a conservative way of thinking that made it comparable to deafness and dumbness (Cai 24). Nuan, the girlfriend, pleaded with the protagonist to intervene and facilitate her birth to a normal child though am illicit sexual affair. She desperately sought to break the inherent deformity and disability in her family (Cai 24). She intended to introduce normalcy in society although it would cost her. The author created an analog to the status of the Chinese society. He realized that the traditional way of thinking had prevailed for the longest time in society and it was a virtual disability to society. The illustration of the protagonist in the story as the only on with the potential of saving society reflected the belief that the intellectuals had to play a critical in transforming the society. As it is evident in all the stories highlighted above, the Chinese intellectuals acknowledged their responsibility in contributing positively towards social reform. The authors of the four stories formed part of the intellectual group that could lead China in its transformation from a conservative thinking to a modernized perspective. The intellectuals exhibited their determination to contribute positively towards social change during a critical time. The stories reveal that these intellectuals realized that their venture had its limitations and that it needed a high level of commitment. Although they regarded themselves as the potential saviors of the situation, that did not change the fact that they experienced a turmoil in the process of change similar to the entire society. Work Cited Cai, Rong. The Subject in Crisis in Contemporary Chinese Literature. Honolulu: Univ. of Hawaii Press, 2004. Print. Larson, Wendy. From Ah Q to Lei Feng: Freud and Revolutionary Spirit in 20th Century China. Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press, 2009. Print. Lomová, Olga. Paths Toward Modernity: Conference to Mark the Centenary of Jaroslav Průšek. Prague: Charles University in Prague, 2008. Print. Mostow, Joshua S. The Columbia Companion to Modern East Asian Literature. New York: Columbia Univ. Press, 2003. Print. Read More