Literary Theories of Bourgeois Reformists
摘要
The bourgeois reformists in the late Qing Dynasty represented by Kang Youwei (1858–1927), Liang Qichao (pseudonym Ren Gong, also known as the owner of the ice-drinking room, 1873–1929), Tan Sitong (with the courtesy name of Fusheng, 1865–1898), Huang Zunxian, and Xia Zengyou (with the courtesy name of Suiqing, 1861–1924) had initially established the ideological system of the bourgeoisie but still retained a strong feudal consciousness. In order to maintain the stability of the country, they attempted to carry out improvements from top to bottom through the approach of “preserving the monarchy.” They generally engaged in literary and artistic activities, using them as a publicity weapon to expand their influence and win over the public, which led them to pay attention to the styles and forms of literature. However, their approach to these matters also reflected their “reformist” characteristics, typically making only partial innovations within existing literary forms rather than undertaking fundamental revolutions.