On the Image of Xia Yu in Lu Xun’s Medicine from the Perspective of Cultural Poetics

Abstract

 Cultural Poetics emphasizes the interactive relationship between literature and culture, advocating for the exploration of a work’s deeper connotations through the integration of histori al context and close textual analysis. Lu Xun, a “giant of culture and thought,” demonstrated remarkable ingenuity in naming and characterizing Xia Yu, the protagonist of his short story Medicine. Guided by Cultural Poetics, this paper analyzes the logic behind the creation of Xia Yu’s image and its connection to the historical figure Qiu Jin. The research reveals that through the dual metaphors of the “human-blood steamed bun” and the “tragedy of Huaxia (China),” Lu Xun exposes the profound contradiction between the “disease” of the national spirit and the “medicine” offered by revolutionaries. Meanwhile, the symbolic substitution and gender transformation of Xia Yu embody Lu Xun’s profound reflection on the predicaments of revolution. By integrating Cultural Poetics with Lu Xun studies, this paper offers a fresh perspective for interpreting Medicine while demonstrating the practical application of cultural poetics.