On the de-historicizing tendency in the teaching of modern and contemporary Chinese literature courses

Abstract

Recently, a de-historicizing tendency has emerged in the teaching of Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature courses, manifesting primarily as text-centrism, de-intellectualization, and a drift toward consumerism. This trend is largely driven by the pervasive influence of the "pure literature" concept, the pedagogical shift toward cultivating applied competencies, constraints imposed by insufficient instructional hours, and the failure to clearly differentiate teaching objectives between secondary and tertiary education. Consequently, it is imperative to maintain a vigilant and reflective stance toward this issue. The pedagogy of Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature should restore literary works to their proper historical contexts by establishing a comprehensive "Great Literary History" perspective. This entails expanding the corpus of literary historical materials, returning to the authentic historical scenes of literary production, and rectifying the current bifurcated approach that severs knowledge from capability. Instead, an integrated model of instruction—both inside and outside the classroom—should be advanced, one that synthesizes textual aesthetic appreciation with rigorous literary-historical scrutiny. Throughout the teaching process, whether in the aesthetic selection and recovery of authors and texts or in the judgment and interpretation of their value and significance, a consciousness of literary history must remain thoroughly embedded.