Latent Literary Tradition:On the Theory of Writing Style and Morality of Su Xuelin

Su Xuelin ranks as one of the outstanding writers and a distinctive figure impossible to be ignored in the history of modern Chinese literature. Although deeply influenced by the May 4th New Cultural Movement and New Literature,her literature creation and criticism feature a striking conservative literary flavour and inclination. She is a scholar-writer,who lives a life,of both reason with equanimity,and senses of self-obsession,continual restraint in an absolute academic manner. The profound tradition enables the harvest of her wealth of learning,simultaneously,it also functions as a negative restraint. In this climate,Su Xuelin exhibits a symbiotic succession of Lin Shu's concepts of classical Chinese essays and Hu Shi's ideas on Moral Personality. It is a universal truth that the ultimate goal of criticizing and declaiming against Lin Shu's classical Chinese essays and relevant conservative thoughts triggers the flame of NewLiterature Movement; a member of pioneer-reformers,Hu Shi firmly declaims his sharp opposition in the course of conflicting revolution. As a genius writer,Su Xuelin strikes a balance between her fondness of Lin's concepts and worship of Hu's ideas. Therefore,her peculiarity and capability of handling the contradictions manifests a state of her mind and her practice:an accessible attainment of integrating traditional norms with modern initiatives in literature.