“Bright Yet Iron-Willed New Flowers”: A Study of the Reading History of Lu Xun’s “Printmaking Turn” (1927-1931)

Abstract

Abstract: In his later years, Lu Xun devoted considerable energy to the advocacy of printmaking, particularly woodcut. The artistic origins, driving mechanisms, and theoretical underpinnings of this commitment still require thorough investigation. The introduction of a history-of-reading perspective may offer empirical evidence for exploring the conscious foundations of Lu Xun’s “printmaking turn.” The period from 1927 to 1931 marked a critical juncture in his intellectual and artistic transformation, which directly shaped his conceptions and practices in the visual arts. His earlier predilection for illustrations served as a prelude to his engagement with printmaking, causing his understanding of the medium to vacillate between art and technique. After assimilating principles from the sociology of art, he was able to unify these dimensions within the realm of industrial art. Through a process of reading, translation, and re-articulation, Lu Xun established the status of printmaking/woodcut as a visual manifestation of the materialist worldview: it both links to the ideology of monumental art and validates its legitimacy as an art of the era through the “beauty of power.”

Key words: Lu Xun, history of reading, printmaking turn, woodcut, sociology of art

摘要： 鲁迅晚年大力提倡版画尤其是木刻,个中艺术缘起、动力机制及理论支撑尚需细细爬梳。阅读史视界的引入,或可为探勘鲁迅“版画转向”的意识基底提供一定实证。1927至1931年是他思想文艺转型关键期,直接影响其美术观念和实践。此前鲁迅对插图的嗜好,成为其进入版画领域的前奏,也令他对版画的理解游移于艺术与技术之间,并于吸收艺术社会学原理后,得以在产业美术的维度上相统一。经由阅读、翻译、再表述,鲁迅确立了版画/木刻作为唯物主义世界观视觉表现形式的地位：它既连接纪念碑式艺术的意识形态,又以“有力之美”验证其作为时代艺术的合法性。

关键词: 鲁迅, 阅读史, 版画转向, 木刻, 艺术社会学

Li Yang. “Bright Yet Iron-Willed New Flowers”: A Study of the Reading History of Lu Xun’s “Printmaking Turn” (1927-1931)[J]. Comparative Literature in China, 2026, 0(3): 233-250.

李阳. “鲜艳而铁一般的新花”——鲁迅“版画转向”阅读史发覆（1927-1931）[J]. 中国比较文学, 2026, 0(3): 233-250.

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