From Ah Q to Lei Feng: Freud and Revolutionary Spirit in 20th Century China (Freud and Revolutionary Spirit in 20th Century China)

When Freudian sexual theory hit China in the early 20th century, it ran up against competing models of the mind from both Chinese tradition and the new revolutionary culture. Chinese theorists of the mind—both traditional intellectuals and revolutionary psychologists— steadily put forward the anti-Freud: a mind shaped not by deep interiority that must be excavated by professionals, but shaped instead by social and cultural interactions. Chinese novelists and film directors understood this focus and its relationship to Mao's revolutionary ethos, and much of the literature of twentieth-century China reflects the spiritual qualities of the revolutionary mind. __From Ah Q to Lei Feng__ investigates the continual clash of these contrasting models of the mind provided by Freud and revolutionary Chinese culture, and explores how writers and filmmakers negotiated with the implications of each model. . Annotation When Freudian sexual theory hit China in the early 20th century, it ran up against competing models of the mind from both Chinese tradition and the new revolutionary culture. Chinese theorists of the mindboth traditional intellectuals and revolutionary psychologists steadily put forward the anti-Freud: a mind shaped not by deep interiority that must be excavated by professionals, but shaped instead by social and cultural interactions.Chinese novelists and film directors understood this focus and its relationship to Mao's revolutionary ethos, and much of the literature of twentieth-century China reflects the spiritual qualities of the revolutionary mind. "From Ah Q to Lei Feng" investigates the continual clash of these contrasting models of the mind provided by Freud and revolutionary Chinese culture, and explores how writers and filmmakers negotiated with the implications of each model.." "When Freudian sexual theory hit China in the early 20th century, it ran up against competing models of the mind from both Chinese tradition and the new revolutionary culture. Chinese theorists of the mind - both traditional intellectuals and revolutionary psychologists - steadily put forward the anti-Freud: a mind shaped not by deep interiority that must be excavated by professionals, hut shaped instead by social and cultural interactions." "Chinese novelists and film directors understood this focus and its relationship to Mao's revolutionary ethos, and much of the literature of 20th century China reflects the spiritual qualities of the revolutionary mind. From Ah Q to Lei Feng investigates the continual clash of these contrasting models of the mind provided by Freud and revolutionary Chinese culture and explores how writers and filmmakers negotiated with the implications of each model."--Jacket When Freudian Sexual Theory Hit China In The Early 20th Century It Ran Up Against Competing Models Of The Mind From Chinese Tradition And The New Revolutionary Culture. The Present Volume Investigates This Clash And Explores How Writers And Filmmakers Negotiated With The Implications Of Each Model. Freudian Obsessions -- Psychology And Freudian Sexual Theory In Early 20th Century China -- Revolutionary Discourse And The Spirit : From Ah Q To Lei Feng -- The Spirit Of The Countryside : Mang Ke's Wild Things And Wang Xiaobo's The Golden Years -- Extracting The Revolutionary Spirit : Jiang Wen's In The Heat Of The Sun And Anchee Min's Red Azalea -- The Workspace Of A New Age Maoist : He Jianjun's The Postman -- Conclusion : History And Literary Aesthetics In The Study Of Modern Chinese Culture. Wendy Larson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [287]-309) And Index. Content: Freudian obsessions -- Psychology and Freudian sexual theory in early 20th century China -- From Ah Q to Lei Feng : revolutionary discourse and the spirit -- The spirit of the countryside : Mang Ke's Wild things and Wang Xiaobo's The golden years -- Extracting the revolutionary spirit : Jiang Wen's In the heat of the sun and Anchee Min's Red azalea -- The workspace of a new age Maoist : He Jianjun's The postman -- Conclusion : history and literary aesthetics in the study of modern Chinese culture. From Ah Q to Lei Feng traces the contrasting models of the mind provided by Freud and revolutionary Chinese culture, investigates their clash over the 20th century, and shows how writers and filmmakers negotiated with the implications of each.