The Time Consciousness of the Manuscript of New Stories and Its Inspiration for the Study of Memory

Abstract: Through the compilation of Lu Xun’s manuscript of New Stories（《故事新编》）, the author found that the changes and differences between the manuscript and other versions have some certain rules to follow. These changes and differences are extremely “meaningful forms”. If we analyze these additions and deletions of words, sentences and the variations of rhetorical devices, and analyze them with Lu Xun’s mood and cultural psychology, we can analyze the behind meaning of New Stories more fully and effectively. And a prominent feature of the addition, deletion and modification of words and sentences in the manuscript of New Stories is the change of vocabulary indicating time and tense. By analyzing this change, Lu Xun’s time consciousness and his memory structure are available. In short, it is a kind of time consciousness with an ironic integrity, which emphasizes the evolution of ethics under the illumination of eschatology.