Akutagawa Ryūnosuke and Bertrand Russell's Travels in China and Lu Xun : Focusing on their Observations of Lower-class Workers in the 1920s

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  • 芥川龍之介とB．ラッセルの中国旅行記と魯迅 : 1920 年代の中国苦力・下層階級の観察を中心に

Abstract

This paper is a comparative study on two perspectives of China by Akutagawa Ryūnosuke and Bertrand Russell, based on Shina Yūki and The Problems of China. Their views about China were fundamentally different in many aspects. Akutagawa wrote that coolies were as evil and depraved as snakes, while Russell thought that coolies liked laughing and were optimistic. They also anticipated two different futures of China. Akutagawa envisioned a majestic image of future China that would transcend traditional conventions, while Russell envisioned an image of future China that would develop in the direction of both traditional thoughts and western sciences. Chinese intellectuals like Lu Xun mentioned these two views many times, but with an opposite attitude. He agreed with Akutagawa's critiques about China, but disagreed with Russell's compliments towards China. Thus, by comparing Akutagawa and Russell's perspectives with Lu Xun in between, we can see how dialogues about China in the 1920s have a diverse and international background.

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