2. Introduction
Utopia
A visionary or ideally perfect state of society
Utopianism
The various ways in which people think
about, depict, and attempt to create a perfect
society, which deals with
morality, ethics, psychology and political
philosophy
Plays an important role in motivating social and
political change
3. Taohua Yuan Ji
(The Peach Blossom Spring)
Tao Yuanming
A fisherman who accidentally found in a place with
blossoming peach trees. He met the villagers who
warmly received him. The ancestors of the
villagers escaped to there in the Qin Dynasty. They
did not have any contact with the people outside
their village and did not know anything about the
outside world. Before he left, the villagers told him
that it was not worth to tell anyone about his
experience. Although the fisherman marked his
route while leaving, he could never find the way
back to Taohua Yuan.
4. The relationship between human and
nature
To escape from wars
Political indifference
5. Utopia
Thomas More
Uo = no; topos = place
54 cities, separated from each other by at least 24
miles, around 100,000 habitants per city
Public ownership
Communal farmhouses
Everyone works 6 hours a day (Agriculture)
Every 30 families elect a 1-year-term official to deliberate
upon public affairs
A prince selected by candidates chosen by the people to
govern the country (life-long tenure)
Atheism is not allowed (to prevent evil acts)
6. Similarities
Literature as a tool
Criticism of the society
Taohua Yuan and Utopia = Complete contrast of
the society
An ideal place unable to realize
7. Backgrounds of the two books
Taohua Yuan Utopia
Year: 421AD(Jin Dynasty) Year: 1516
6 regimes,16 kingdoms Capitalism
One of the most chaotic Enclosure movement
eras Demand for wool
Problems: Lands fenced to limit its use
to wealthy owners
Wars
Privatization: Depriving the
Political instability peasants of their rights and
Heavy taxes… freedom
8. Cultural differences
Daoism Greek philosophy
Simplicity Plato - “Republic”
Self-sufficiency Humanitarianism
Reclusion Democracy
Complete isolation Pacifism
from each other’s life Liberty
10. James Hilton (1900-1954)
Born at Lancashire in 1900
Grew up in London
Novelist and scriptwriter
Pacifist
“Lost Horizon” published in 1933
Instant bestseller in UK and US
Awarded the Hawthornden Prize
Adopted as a screenplay in 1937
11. Writing Background
1. Post-WWI England
Change of the balance of power
The Great Depression
Social and economic insecurity
2. Rise of fascism
Fear of another World War
3. Tibet had become accessible
China has become a hot topic in Europe
12. Shangri-La
Popularized by Lost Horizon
Secret multicultural utopian city hides in
Himalayans Mountain called Blue Moon Valley
Social structure:
1. 50 lamas and around 1,000 Tibetans
2. Rich and stable society
3. Ruled by the High Lama, a god-like figure
4. The High Lama – Father Perrault
5. All lamas were travellers from Europe
13. Shangri-La
Economic Situation
1. No monetary system and private property
2. Lamasery use gold to buy what can’t be produced
3. All productions are done by villagers
Culture
1. Treasury and refuge for human literature, arts
2. Highly informed from books and newspapers
3. Guiding principle in life is virtue of moderation
4. Religious tolerance
14. Imagined China
Fusion of the reality and Utopia of the West:
Clear social classification
Ruling class are westerners only
Heavily influenced by Christianity
Ultimate goal: Spiritual and aesthetic
Communism
Location of Shangri-La: Tibetan Plateau
15. Orientalism
Evolved from Colonialism and Imperialism
Manipulation over Orient impression
Subjective interpretation of western utopia
2 purposes:
1. Exotic worldview to catch public attention
2. Creating a non-western role model
=>Criticizing societies of the West
16. Conclusion
Evolving concept
Unrealistic characteristics
Image can be different according to
geographic and chronic changes
Main function:
Criticizing realistic society
Escaping from reality
Shangri-La: reinvention of western Utopia
