Ecocriticism and Chinese Literature: Imagined Landscapes and Real Lived Spaces

This book explores the environmental and ecological dimensions of Chinese literature, particularly modern and contemporary literature, focusing on concepts such as qing (情) and jing (境). It demonstrates how Chinese literary ecology tends toward an ecological-systemic holism, examining a range of writers and genres to understand how literature conceptualizes the relationship between humanity and nature.

Format: Hardback
Length: 210 pages
Publication date: 11 March 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Focusing on ecocritical aspects throughout Chinese literature, particularly modern and contemporary Chinese literature, the contributors to this book examine the environmental and ecological dimensions of notions such as qing (情) and jing (境). Chinese modern and contemporary environmental writing offers a unique aesthetic perspective toward the natural world. Such a perspective is mainly ecological and allows human subjects to take a benign and nonutilitarian attitude toward nature. The contributors to this book demonstrate how Chinese literary ecology tends toward an ecological-systemic holism from which all human behaviors should be closely examined. They do so by examining a range of writers and genres, including Liu Cixin's science fiction, Wu Ming-yi's environmental fiction, and Zhang Chengzhi's historical narratives. This book provides valuable insights for scholars and students looking to understand how Chinese literature conceptualizes the relationship between humanity and nature, as well as our role and position within the natural realm.

Introduction:
Chinese literature has a rich and complex history, spanning thousands of years and encompassing a wide range of genres and styles. However, it is only in recent years that the study of ecocritical aspects within Chinese literature has gained significant attention. This book aims to explore the environmental and ecological dimensions of Chinese literature, particularly in modern and contemporary contexts.

Environmental and Ecological Dimensions of Chinese Literature:
Chinese literature has long been influenced by the natural world, and the writers of the past have often used the environment as a backdrop for their stories. However, in recent decades, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of environmental and ecological issues in Chinese society. This has led to a renewed interest in the study of these aspects within Chinese literature.

The contributors to this book examine the environmental and ecological dimensions of various notions within Chinese literature, including qing (情) and jing (境). Qing refers to the emotional and psychological aspects of human experience, while jing refers to the physical and material aspects of the environment. The contributors argue that these notions are closely interconnected and that understanding the relationship between them is essential for understanding the relationship between humanity and nature.

One of the key themes that emerges from the book is the idea of ecological-systemic holism. This concept suggests that the natural world is a complex and interconnected system, and that human behavior is closely linked to the health and sustainability of the environment. The contributors argue that Chinese literary ecology tends toward an ecological-systemic holism, from which all human behaviors should be closely examined.

The book also examines a range of writers and genres, including science fiction, environmental fiction, and historical narratives. These genres provide unique perspectives on the relationship between humanity and nature, and the contributors argue that they can be used to explore the environmental and ecological dimensions of Chinese literature in new and innovative ways.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, this book provides valuable insights for scholars and students looking to understand how Chinese literature conceptualizes the relationship between humanity and nature, as well as our role and position within the natural realm. The contributors to this book demonstrate how Chinese literary ecology tends toward an ecological-systemic holism, from which all human behaviors should be closely examined. By examining a range of writers and genres, the book offers new and innovative ways of understanding the environmental and ecological dimensions of Chinese literature.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032079684