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Macau Periodical Index (澳門期刊論文索引)
- Author
- Chen, Xi
- Title
- Filial piety and readability in Flowers in the Mirror
- Journal Name
- 澳門科技大學學報
- Pub. Info
- 2019年12月31日, 第13卷第2期, pp. 34-44
- Link
- https://lib.must.edu.mo/sites/default/files/assets/images/Duu/%E6%BE%B3%E9%96%80%E7%A7%91%E6%8A%80%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%B8%E5%AD%B8%E5%A0%B1-2019%E5%B9%B4%E7%AC%AC%E4%BA%8C%E6%9C%9F.pdf
- Keyword
- Dichotomous perspective; Filial piety and peregrination; Literary devices; Readability; Credibility
- Abstract
- The novel Jing Hua Yuan/Flowers in the Mirror(鏡花緣) written by Li Ruzhen elicits considerable discussions on its authorship and pioneering feminist claims. Notable academic findings either unveil secrets of its author or highlight its rich feminist tone. This essay, however, examines its narrative from a dichotomous perspective of the Confucian tradition of filial piety and peregrination. It would help to shed light on how vernacular novelists reconcile with the dominant Confucian doctrine. Moreover, the essay would also bring out its literary merits that have been neglected. Historically, critique of the novel centered on its abundance of kaozheng evidence and overlooked its literary devices. Presence of a foil enhances its readability, while critique of real-life social evils and intertextuality lend credibility to its story-telling. Li Ruzhen demonstrates considerable sophistication through subtle influence of reader adhesion to the ideas in his novel. Paragraph Headings： 1. Introduction 2. A Dichotomous Perspective 2.1. Literature Review 2.2. Intertextuality 2.3. Filial Piety and Peregrination 3. Literary Devices for Enchancing Readability and Credibility 3.1. Mirrors 3.2. Intertextuality Renders Readability 4. Conclusion