Individualism in Contemporary China

Reading Lu Xun’s “Regret for the Past” from the perspective of a thought experiment reveals the love story as a metaphor for the prospect of individualism in China. This article centers on the problematic issue of individual autonomy combined with the consideration of Lu Xun’s early theoretical reflections on individualism. In an analysis of the characters framed through the symbolic triad of individualism, authenticity, and immorality, the article points to the inevitable failure of individualism in Chinese society. Specifically, through Juansheng’s double negation, Lu Xun’s own political hesitation may be read as a continuation of his earlier commitment to enlightenment ideals. Chinese society has undergone a century of tremendous changes, particularly so in the sphere of liberatory politics, yet the fate of individualism in contemporary China remains fundamentally unchanged.