"The Way of Awakening" :A Lunatic's Diary Published in 1909 ——Also Reviewing Chen Jinghan's Literary

The New Neo-novel, with Chen Jinghan as the chief editor,aiming at "the newest forever", disapproved Liang Qichao's reformed monarchial model and intended to use the social functions of novels to establish a "Xiaism", which firstly involves a power system that defies the then government; secondly introduces the foreign revolutionary spirit, and the spirit of anti-invasion and anti-oppression; thirdly advocates the traditional "robbing of the rich to help the poor". In October, 1909,Novel Times co-edited by Chen Jinghan and Bao Tianxiao published Chen Jinghan's "The Way of Awakening" as the first item in the first issue. "The Way of Awakening" could hardly be compared to Lu Xun'sA Lunatic's Diary, yet it clearly indicates that Chen was a forerunner among the then Chinese thinking circle. We should admit that China's "lunatic family" had its own pedigree; but we should also realize that the modernization of Chinese literary began early at the turn of the century, which was proved by Chen's works. From theNew Neo-novel toNovel Times, Chen Jinghan made his due contribution to the modernization of Chinese literature.