Abstract: Moment in Peking is a famous historical novel originally written in English by Lin Yutang. The novel covers the turbulent events in China from 1900 to 1938, including the Boxer Uprising, the Republican Revolution of 1911, the Warlord Era, the rise of nationalism and communism, and the origins of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945.It was once recommended to be a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature. The author vividly described various figures at that time and showed us an epitome of social climate and changes in the special period in China. Among all these figures, Yao Sian was a classic representative. The chaotic times and changeable surroundings had great impact on him and his character also varied as time changed. The analysis of the manifestation of his character and its origins may help the readers promote their understandings about the connotation of Moment in Peking.
Key Words: Moment in Peking, Yao Sian; The spirits of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism ; Collision of Chinese and Western culture
CONTENTS
Introduction …………………………………………………………… 1
1.The Manifestation of Yao Sian’ s Character 3
1.1 An Unconventional and Unrestrained Character 7
1.2 A Spirit-Oriented and Open-minded Character 8
1.3 A Devotee of Taoism 11
2. The Causes of Yao Sian’s Character ………………………………. .9
2.1 The Factor of Ancient Traditional Thoughts and Spirits 13
2.2 The Factor of Social-historical Roots 15
2.3 The Author’s Influence upon the Creation of Yao Sian 16
3. Conclusion……………………………………………………………14
Acknowledgements …………………………………………………… 15
References……………………………………………………………… 20
