The Literary Works of Lu Hsun: Roles and Reflections on a Chinese Society During a Period of Transition

Abstract

This article presents Lu Hsun's roles as a great writer and leader of the "Art for life's sake" movement in modern Chinese literature, particularly his roles in portraying a Chinese society in the early 20th century, which was a critical transitional period for the country. Lu Hsun was an artist who wrote various types of literature. His literary works that have been translated into Thai consist of 28 short stories, 49 essays, and 42 poems. Lu Hsun's role as an "Art for life's sake" writer is evident in how he used his works to record historical events in China during the early 20th century. He depicted the lives of Chinese people in a contemporary society that blended old feudal concepts with new democratic ideas. He also portrayed the characteristics of people who could not yet shed their slave mentality resulting from cultivation under the old regime. Lu Hsun's literature also demonstrates his political stance and intention to oppose the reactionary government and intellectuals who survived by advocating the concept of "Art for art's sake," his praise for revolutionary forces, and his campaign to liberate Chinese women from the bonds of traditionalism.