摘要
This paper conducts a comparative analysis of the symbolic image of“beans”in Henry David Thoreau's The Bean field from Walden and Tao Yuanming's ancient Chinese poem Back to Country Lijfe,revealing how these seemingly simple plants embody concrete philosophical and cultural meanings across time and space.Despite their temporal and geographical distance,both authors use bean imagery to articulate shared ideals of simplicity,self-sufficiency,and harmony with nature.This study begins with an overview of the general symbolic values associated with beans-vitality,harvest,tranquility,independence,and transformation-before delving into textual analyses of each work.Tao's depiction of sparse bean sprouts amidst overgrown grass mirrors his longing for pastoral purity and detachment from societal constraints,while Thoreau's detailed engagement with bean cultivation reflects his transcendentalist pursuit of spiritual clarity through labor and natural communion.Despite differences in style and historical context,both writers present beans as more than agriculural products;they become metaphors for personal freedom,moral integrity,and a life reoriented toward nature.By decoding the literary symbolism of beans,this research not only highlights cross cultural literary resonances but also deepens our understanding of ecological thought and human nature relations in both Western and Eastern traditions.Utimately,the paper argues that beans serve as a shared language through which Tao and Thoreau articulate a universal yearning for a simpler,more authentic mode of existence.
出处
《人文与社科亚太学刊》
2025年第3期81-96,共16页
Asia-Pacific Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences
基金
supported by the Department of Education of Guangdong Province(No.2023SJYLKC08)
Guangzhou College of Commerce(No.2024XTYR15).
