In Search of "Hsiang-tu": A Study of Hsiang-tu Discourse in Taiwanese Literary Field

• Main Authors: Chin-Li Lin, 林巾力
• Other Authors: Sheng-kuan Yu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/35732188858035446906

博士 === 國立成功大學 === 台灣文學研究所 === 97 === Abstract “Hsiang-tu” has been a lasting concept since New Taiwanese Literature began; however, though “Hsiang-tu literature” has been the focus of debates in the public and has belonged to a specific literature genre, the definitions of “Hsiang-tu” and “Hsiang-tu literature” are still unclear. Even people and literature creators who have been through the historical events cannot reach a consensus on such questions. Consequently, this research paper focuses on “Hsiang-tu” and “Hsiang-tu literature” in the literature arena, and tries to further understand the causes of today’s Taiwanese literature through observing the process of people’s discussion and struggle for “Hsiang-tu”. This paper attempts to focus on the following 2 aspects: (1) the internal part of “Hsiang-tu”—inspecting people’s different imaginations of “Hsiang-tu literature” based on the theoretical foundation of “Hsiang-tu”; (2) the external part of “ Hsiang-tu”—viewing “Hsiang-tu “ as an integrated subject and discussing the relationship between “Hsiang-tu” and its opposite: “modernity”. From a personal viewpoint, the only way to explore the first aspect is to clarify the different meanings of “Hsiang-tu” and “Hsiang-tu literature” in different periods of time and events during the process of history. The purpose of the latter aspect is to break the traditional binary concept and to grasp the debate process of “Hsiang-tu” and “modernity” through the relationship between dialogues. This research is based on the following foundation: literature modernity during the historical development of Taiwanese literature such as new literature and modernism literature is the premise of “Hsiang-tu literature” and the subject of criticism. The two peak periods of “Hsiang-tu literature” in Taiwanese literature arena both brought direct impacts on literature modernity. Such impacts were brought through absorbing “local” resources under the threat of “modernity” to step into literature modernity in its own way rather than through any destruction. The so-called “Hsiang-tu restoration” does not imply a simple returning to the past but a reconstruction towards the future. Hence, what is involved here is an interaction with others; “”Hsiang-tu or movements under this title indicate a dialogue process with “a bigger world”. The discovery of “Hsiang-tu” involves its attitude toward others and self-definition. This research also inspects the local resources responding to the issue of “modernity” during different periods of time, and provides explanation constructions under different time condition of prewar and postwar periods. The background of “Hsiang-tu literature” during the 30s was a Taiwanese society with slight modernity in which the western new thinking from China and Japan were greatly impacting and influencing the thinking style and attitude of Taiwanese people. It was also a period when the original culture of Taiwan was threatened by the policies of the colonial government. For this reason, prewar “ Hsiang-tu literature”, on the one hand, describes the marginalized position of Taiwan compared to the western countries, Japan and China and the other hand, proposes the meaning of “Hsiang-tu”: “”Hsiang-tu is ours and is based on our own hometown, land and people. Prewar “Hsiang-tu” declares the above “differences” from others while “native soil literature” indicates a cultural unique of exploring the literature arena and self-construction. Under this framework, prewar “Hsiang-tu literature” mainly involves the following different but relevant elements: language standardization, the definition of literature and the unique features of Taiwan. The concept of postwar “Hsiang-tu” is influenced by 2 factors: first of all, Taiwan is theoretically part of China and that “Hsiang-tu” becomes part of a country; second, Taiwan is included in the economic circle led by the U.S. industrialization and urbanization reached their peak in the 60s and 70s during which “Hsiang-tu” means the condition of “villages” which face the need of changing due to the impact of capitalism. From this aspect, postwar “”Hsiang-tu has 2 dialogue subjects: (1) its relationship with “the west”—focusing on problems such as the social impacts brought by capitalism and industrialization and “modernism literature” which aims at the standard of western nations regarding aesthetic; (2) the relationship with “China”—considering general and special problems between China and Taiwan and the construction of Taiwanese literature history. I therefore observe postwar “Hsiang-tu literature” from 2 aspects—creation concept and literature history concept. In conclusion, this research observes the transformation of “Hsiang-tu literature” from consecutive angles through researches on “Hsiang-tu” conceptual history, integrates “Hsiang-tu literature debate” which offers a place for meaning expression and arguing, and traces the debates on “Hsiang-tu” and “modernity”.