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Work #1077 · Mature

The True Story of Ah Q

Lu Xun
1921-22 · Vernacular Chinese
Novella · Modern Chinese literature / May Fourth

The great satirical portrait of the Chinese national character — Ah Q's "spiritual victory" psychology

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute The True Story of Ah Q (Mature)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency None
Observer · Moral Authority Experience
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Discrete

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

The True Story of Ah Q

Late-Qing / early Republican China; longer historical-cultural time.

Space

The True Story of Ah Q

Chinese village of Weizhuang.

Matter

The True Story of Ah Q

Embodied Ah Q; his body as medium of defeats.

Observer

The True Story of Ah Q

Ah Q deluded; Lu Xun diagnostic.

Energy

The True Story of Ah Q

Psychological-political energies of "spiritual victory" reinterpretation.

Information

The True Story of Ah Q

Narrative pattern of defeat-reinterpretation.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

The True Story of Ah Q

Variously assessed across the twentieth century — embraced by May Fourth and revolutionary generations.