Multidimensional Symbols and Metaphors of Tea Culture: Taking Lu Xun, Lao She and Zhou Zuoren's "Drinking Tea" as an Example

Abstract

This paper focuses on the descriptions of "drinking tea" in the works of Lu Xun, Lao She and Zhou Zuoren, and probes into the multi-dimensional symbolism and metaphor of tea culture. Through the description of tea drinking experience, Lu Xun's Tea Drinking reveals the stratification, criticizes the privilege and detachment from reality of cultural elites, and emphasizes social responsibility. Influenced by the Japanese tea ceremony, Zhou Zuoren's Tea shows the idea of pursuing the art of life and spiritual cultivation, embodies the philosophy of "taking a break from the busy, enjoying the bitter", and reflects the change of mood; Lao She's Teahouse takes teahouse as a microcosm of society, reflecting class differences through different consumption of tea, revealing social decay, injustice and people's suffering. These works present the rich connotation of tea culture in literature from different angles, reflect the writers' outlook on life and social critical consciousness, and provide multiple perspectives for understanding the society and writers' thoughts at that time.