The concept of “love” in the early works of Zhang Ailing (张爱玲 1920–1995)

UDC 821.581-3

https://doi.org/10.20339/PhS.3-21.059

Moshchenko Irina A.,

PhD student, Research Associate

A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Acadamy of Sciences

e-mail: lotvin@mail.ru

This article presents a study designed to analyse the concept of love in the early work of chinese writer Zhang Ailing. The research reveals conceptual binary oppositions which are formed arround the core of the concept of love that is: ai (爱), qing (情) and lian (恋). The oppositions are the following: absurdity — conciseness; frivolous / pretense — serious / sincerity; material — spiritual / sacred; isolation — openness; selfishness — generosity; cowardice — courage; overseas — traditional. This ambiguity of the concept is the key to understanding how early works of Zhang Ailing differs from the previous literature tradition, which understands love as а supreme good. The research shows the transformation of the concept of love in the early work of Zhang Ailing. The writer confronts the tradition, she tries to destroy the romantic-sentimental attitude to love that was formed in Chinese literature in the first decades of the twentieth century. Breaking with the conventional image of “love above all” (恋爱之上), Zhang Ailing begins to build up her own world of love. She starts from the denying of romantic love and attachment, and only then tries to fit love into the social structure, to turn ordinary love into a social value equal to success in work, financial well-being, etc.

Keywords: Zhang Ailing, Shanghai literature, Chinese literature of 1940s, Haipai, concept analysis, concept of love.

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