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DOI: 10.15862/34FLSK425 (https://doi.org/10.15862/34FLSK425)

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Abramova V.S. [China in A.P. Chekhov’s creative interpretation (based on prose and letters)] World of Science. Series: Sociology, Philology, Cultural Studies, 2025, Vol. 16, No. 4. Available at: https://sfk-mn.ru/PDF/34FLSK425.pdf (in Russian). DOI: 10.15862/34FLSK425

China in A.P. Chekhov’s creative interpretation (based on prose and letters)

Abramova Viktoriia Sergeevna
Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, Shenzhen, China
Perm State National Research University, Perm, Russia
E-mail: abramovavictoria@yandex.ru
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8535-2827
RSCI: https://elibrary.ru/author_profile.asp?id=953740
WoS: https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/rid/V-1938-2019
SCOPUS: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.url?authorId=57204459176

Abstract. This article presents a comprehensive study of the evolution of the image of China and Chinese culture within the creative consciousness of A.P. Chekhov. The relevance of this work stems from the need for a systematic examination of Eastern, specifically Chinese, themes in Russian literature and their representation using an imagological approach. The aim of the article is to trace the dynamics of Chinese motifs in Chekhov’s fictional prose and epistolary legacy, revealing their artistic and philosophical functions. The study addresses the following questions: how Chekhov’s perception of China transformed, how these motifs were integrated into his artistic system, and what role they played in his worldview. A multifaceted methodological approach is employed, combining historical-literary, imagological, motif-based, and hermeneutic analyses. The research material includes Chekhov’s early and later short stories («Fat and Thin», «The Grasshopper», «Gusev», «Murder», among others) and his correspondence. The author finds that in his early prose, Chinese imagery serves as a source of comic effect and relies on stereotypes. In contrast, in his mature works, it acquires complex symbolic semantics, functioning as a marker of alienation, spiritual emptiness, or universal suffering. His letters demonstrate an evolution from the noting of exotic otherness to the use of China as a tool for social critique and, finally, to a respectful recognition of its cultural distinctiveness. Interpretation of these results leads to the conclusion that the Chinese theme in Chekhov’s work evolved from stereotypes to a profound dialogue with the «Other». This evolution testifies to the anthropological orientation of the writer’s artistic reflection, which is focused on universal human values. The article’s conclusions are significant for intercultural studies and understanding Russia’s place in a global context. They also open avenues for a comparative analysis of the image of China in Russian literature at the turn of the 20th century.

Keywords: A.P. Chekhov; Russian literature; image of China; imagology; stereotype; intercultural communication; epistolary heritage; Orientalism

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