The Important Value of Traditional Chinese Virtues: An Ethical Literary Analysis of The Touch
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63313/SSH.9065Keywords:
Ethical Literary Criticism, The Touch, Traditional Chinese VirtuesAbstract
Set within a realistic narrative of traditional Chinese ethic in the latter half of 20th in China and British, The Touch by Liu Hong in 2005 can be regarded as a masterpiece to represent traditional Chinese virtues. This essay applies Nie Zhenzhao’s ethical literary criticism to analyze how different Chinese people in different periods of contemporary China to make the choices for the others for good to develop the whole narration of this novel. Traditional Chinese virtues embodied in the heroes of The Touch are self-devotion, forbearance, fortitude and tolerance, etc. The analysis reveals that Liu Hong provides a new writing to comprehend the traditional Chinese virtues. By applying the elements of traditional Chinese virtues, the novel actually builds up the new image of Chinese people in contemporary China and British. It proves that it is the function of traditional Chinese virtues that ensures Chinese people live in harmony with themselves and foreigners.
References
[1] Chan, Red. “Chinese flower in English Garden: Hybridity and Culture Translation in Liu Hong's The Magpie Bridge”, Journal of Intercultural Studies (4), 2007.
[2] Nie, Zhenzhao, An Introduction of Ethical Literary Criticism, Peking University Press, 2014.
[3] Zhang, Dainian, and Keli Fang, eds. An Introduction to Chinese Culture (Revised Edition). Beijing Normal University Press, 2004.
[4] Qian, Mu. The Doctrine of Mean in Chinese Culture, Jiuzhou Press, 2012. 115-133
[5] Yang, Zhigang. The Classic of Filial Piety and Filial Piety Culture. People's Daily Press. 2014.
[6] Li, Jing. “Western Context and Chinese Symbols: On the Novels of Liu Hong, a British Chinese Writer”. Contemporary Literary Circles, 2011(3).139.
[7] Liu, Hong. The Touch. Clays Ltd, St Ives plc. 2005.
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