Research Article

Difference and Diversity: A Comparative Study of Hu Shi's and Lu Xun's Research on Water Margin

Lili ChuCommunication University of China*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Both Hu Shi(胡适)and Lu Xun(鲁迅)conducted considerable research and evaluations on Water Margin(《水浒传》)and its major sequels. Various factors, such as historical context and personal perspectives, contributed to the divergence in their views. Hu Shi distinguished between Water Margin’s utility in the New Literature Movement and its ideological content. While he elevated Water Margin’s status as "vernacular" literature, he did not endorse certain ideological aspects within the text. Lu Xun, on the other hand, affirmed the revolutionary spirit in Water Margin but criticized its incompleteness and feudal characteristics. The contrasting evaluations of the same text by Hu Shi and Lu Xun in the same era stem from their differing perspectives and positions.

Keywords: Hu Shi; Lu Xun; Water Margin; Comparative Study
Published: December 12, 2024
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2025.18138
Volume: CHR Vol.62
pp. 14-20
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