Water, Boat and Tower in Shen Congwen's Works: a Poetic Picture of western Hunan

Abstract

Shen Congwen's literary works vividly depict the unique style of western Hunan with his delicate and subtle brushstrokes. In his creation, water, ship, tower and other images occupy a very important position, they contain rich and diverse connotations and unique charm. On the one hand, these images vividly present the natural landscape of Xiangxi, such as the vivid water flow, simple ships, solemn towers, etc., making people feel the unique charm of Xiangxi as if they were there; On the other hand, it profoundly reflects Shen Congwen's deep love for the land of western Hunan, as well as his profound thinking of human nature and profound perception of life. The flow of water seems to tell the ceaselessness and change of life, the drift of the ship symbolizes the impermanence and tenacity of life, and the standing of the tower represents the persistence and pursuit of a spirit. This paper aims to carry out a thorough and comprehensive analysis of the images of water, ship and tower in Shen Congwen's works, and probe deeply into their unique artistic characteristics and profound cultural values, in order to understand Shen Congwen's literary world and his profound thoughts more comprehensively.