Hu Shi's Literary Evolution From 'Fifty Years' to 'Modern Series

Abstract

Written only five or six years after the New Culture Movement, Hu Shi documented this great literary revolution with a plain and objective attitude in "Fifty Years of Chinese Literature." More than a decade later, when Hu Shi was in charge of compiling the "Construction Theory Collection" for the "Great Series of Modern Chinese Literature," the preface he wrote had changed in many aspects. The reason for this is the evolution of Hu Shi's concept of literary history, such as his treatment of classical Chinese literature, the relationship between vernacular and classical Chinese, and the attitude towards the content of the vernacular movement. By comparing these two books, one can gain a clearer understanding of Hu Shi's literary historical perspective.