Towards a Modern Diasporic Literary Tradition: the Evolution of Australian Chinese Language Fiction from 1894 to 1912
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Towards a Modern Diasporic Literary Tradition: The Evolution of Australian Chinese Language Fiction from 1894 to 1912 Haizhi Luo A thesis submitted in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master by Research at the University of New South Wales School of Humanities and Languages Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences The University of New South Wales April 2017 THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname or Family name: Luo First name: Haizhi Other name/s: Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: MA(Research) School: School of Humanities and Languages Faculty: Faculty of Arts and SocialSciences Title: Towards a Modern Diasporic Literary Tradition: The Evolution of AustralianChinese Language Fiction from1894 to 1912 Abstract 350 words maximum: (PLEASE TYPE) Fiction, as one of the earliest diasporic Chinese literary genres as well as the most neglected one in current scholarships, is the focus of this research project. The thesis examines Chinese language fictionpublished in the three earliest Australian Chinese language newspapers from 1894 to 1912, when Australian Chinese diaspora experienced an initial plethora of urban cultural development. Through the thesis, I propose to show the incipient evolution of Australian Chinese language fictionand argue that the beginning of Chinese Australian writing should be redefined to the turn of the 20th century given its original and exemplary contribution to the development of a diasporic literary tradition in Australia. During these years, Australian Chinese language fictionevolved froma production largely derivative of the classical Chinese narrative tradition, to a modern and localised form through the influence and inspiration of the late Qing revolution in fiction. This achievement can be witnessed in the employment of modern narrative techniques and structures, in the incorporation of local lives and events into the stories, and in the hybridity of themes that mix traditional and modern interests such as exile and ethnic unity, which are rare in late Qing Chinese fictionbut essential to the concerns of post-colonial and diasporic cultural studies. Demonstrating the value of early Australian Chinese language fictionoffers a fresh angle to enrich our knowledge of the life experienceof early Chinese migrants. It also reconnects such diasporic narratives with the modernising development of late Qing fictionin China as well as other early Chinese diasporic fiction, thus providing us an opportunity to discuss their mutual interaction and influence, as well as their role in the transnational development of world Chinese language literature. More importantly, it demonstrates how the localising process of the diasporic Chinese literary tradition began in Australia by supplementing the stories and other imaginative accounts of early Chinese migrants into the national literature of Australia, showing an alternative historical image of the Australian Chinese communities and a diversified vision of Australia's social and cultural experience that was taking place already over a century ago. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all propertyrights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books} all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only}. ··································· ······················· Signature Witness Signature Date .... The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and re uire the a roval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award: ORIGINALITY STATEMENT 'I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.' Signed ··········································· Date ............... 7... (.1 .. (.�.�7 ................... COPYRIGHT STATEMENT 'I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works ( such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation.' Signed ······- ................................................. Date ...............7/. /..(#./7.... ································· AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT 'I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format.' Signed ············································ Date ................. 7. /.. l /.¥9./7 · .................................. ABSTRACT Research of Australian Chinese language literature is an expanding field in both the studies of world Chinese language literature (or Sinophone literature as other scholars may call it) and ethnic literature in Australia. Yet despite a history of over 150 years of Chinese migration to Australia, recent studies only focus on the production of Australian Chinese language literature of the past three or four decades, whereas its early development remains virtually untouched by research up until now. Therefore, fiction, as one of the earliest diasporic Chinese literary genres as well as the most neglected one, is the main focus of this research project. Tracing this back to the turn of the 20th century, when Australian Chinese diaspora experienced an initial plethora of urban cultural development, this thesis examines Chinese language fiction published from 1894 to 1912 in the three earliest Australian Chinese language newpapers in Sydney and Melbourne. They are The Chinese Australian Herald (, 1894- 1923), The Tung Wah News (, 1898-1902)/The Tung Wah Times (, 1902-1936) and The Chinese Times (, 1902-1905/, 1905-1914). This thesis proposes to shows the incipient evolution of a diasporic literary tradition in the local communities in Australia. Through the thesis, I argue that the beginning of Australian Chinese language literature should be redefined as the turn of the 20th century due to the considerable amount of fiction published in local newspapers and its original and exemplary contribution to the development of a diasporic literary tradition in Australia. During the two decades from 1894 to 1912, Australian Chinese language fiction evolved from a production strongly derivative of the classical Chinese narrative tradition, to a modern and localised form through the influence and inspiration of the late Qing revolution in fiction. This achievement can be witnessed in the employment of modern narrative techniques and structures, in the incorporation of local lives and events into the stories, and in the hybridity of themes that mix traditional and modern interests, including ideas such as exile and ethnic unity, which are rare in late Qing Chinese fiction but essential to post- colonial and diasporic cultural formations. My research also uncovered Duoqi Du ( , The Vice of Polygamy). Not only it is the first novel produced by a local Chinese iv author, it overturns the current academic conclusion that the first appearance of the local Chinese novel only came into being in the late 20th century; the themes and the narrative techniques applied in this novel also epitomise milestones in the modernising and localising development of early Australian Chinese language fiction. Demonstrating the values of early Australian Chinese language fiction offers an until now unexplored angle to enrich our knowledge of the life experience of early Chinese