★ Researcher Cheng Ma from the Institute of Literature at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has devoted himself to creating this work!
★ The book systematically explores, from basic to advanced levels, the enduring reverence for perfection embedded in the Chinese aesthetic sensibility, social psychology, and philosophical thought, as well as the ultimate psychological complex underlying these elements.

Starting with an analysis of the ubiquitous “happy ending” pattern in Chinese narrative literature, this book progressively explores the enduring cult of perfection embedded in the Chinese aesthetic sensibilities, social psychology, and philosophical outlook, viewing it as a major flaw and pathological tendency in the psyche of traditional Chinese culture.

The author hopes that through this book, readers from different countries will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the complexity and diversity of cultures by comparing them across cultural and social-psychological boundaries.

Cheng Ma

He is a researcher at the Comparative Literature Research Office of the Institute of Literature, Social Sciences of China.
His major works include “Lu Xun's Study in Japan”, “Communication and Renewal: The Relationship between Lu Xun and Japanese Literature”, “The Theory of Literary Values”, “Chinese Psychological Disorder: The Cult of Completion”, and so on. His translations include “The Collected Works of Minoru Takeuchi”(10 volumes) and more.

Opening Remarks: "Perfection" at the Turn of the Millennium

Introduction: A Critique of "Grand Reunion" and the Reform of "National Character"
I. The Fate of the "Grand Reunion" Mentality in Modern China
II. Morality and Psychology
III. The Systematic Nature of the "Grand Reunion" Mentality

Part I: The Joyful Sentiment of Perfection in Chinese Narrative Literature
I. Tracing the Origins of the "Grand Reunion" Mental Pattern
(1) The "Prematurely Mature" Chinese Historical Consciousness
(2) The "Late-Maturing" Literary Narrative Concept
(3) What Is Meant by "Grand Reunion"?
II. The Evolutionary Trajectory of the "Grand Reunion" Pattern in Chinese Literature (Part I)
(1) From "Strange" to "Marvelous"
(2) The Tang Dynasty's Deliberate Pursuit of Novelty
(3) The Popularization of the "Grand Reunion" Sentiment in the Song Dynasty
III. The Evolutionary Trajectory of the "Grand Reunion" Pattern in Chinese Literature (Part II)
(1) The "Smiling Relief" Theory in Yuan Zaju Dramas
(2) The "Perfect" Conventions in Short and Long Novels of the Ming Dynasty
(3) The Rejection of "Grand Reunion" in the Qing Dynasty
IV. The Non-Perfectionist Notion in Revolutionary Literary and Artistic Creation
(1) Will Revolutionary Literature Repeat the Mistake of "Grand Reunion"?
(2) Examples of Non-Perfectionist Concepts and Works in the New Era
(3) The Sense of Plot in Drama and Film Production
V. Casual Reflections on Public Cases, Detective Fiction, and Mystery Novels
(1) The Evil of Worldly Affairs and the Beauty of Morality
(2) The Fascination of Reasoning and Detective Fiction
(3) The Prospects of Eastern Mystery Fiction
VI. On "Grand Reunion" as Neither Tragedy Nor Comedy
(1) Reference Frames and Unlocking Keys
(2) A Comparison Between "Grand Reunion" and the Concepts of Tragedy and Comedy
(3) The Way Forward for the "Grand Reunion" Model
VII. On the Manageability of Literary Plots
(1) The Possibility of Story Structures
(2) The Feasibility of Character Actions
(3) The Credibility of "Grand Reunion" Endings

Part II: The Ultimate Complex in Chinese Social Psychology
I. A Discussion on the Gains and Losses of the "Great Harmony" Ideal
(1) Aesthetic Tastes and Social Complexes
(2) The "Great Harmonious World" and "Utopia"
(3) Ideal Realms and Rational Scrutiny
II. An Analysis of "The Victor Is King, the Vanquished Is a Rogue"
(1) The Time-Tested Doctrine of Success and Failure
(2) The Doctrine of Orthodoxy and the Culture of Historians
(3) The Political Tradition of Emphasizing Action Over Words
III. It Is Hard to Draw a Definitive Conclusion Even After Death
(1) The Life Purpose Behind "Drawing a Final Conclusion After Death"
(2) The Limited Reliability of Such Conclusions
(3) The Importance of Content and Process in Life
IV. An Analysis of the Chinese Urgency for Practicality
(1) The Purpose of Behavior: "Usefulness"
(2) The Urgent Desire for Practicality: "One-Step Solutions"
(3) The Ideal for Life: "All Things Going Smoothly"

Part III: The Purpose Consciousness in Chinese Philosophical Thought
I. On the Strengths and Weaknesses of Chinese Purpose Consciousness
(1) The Emergence and Maturation of Purpose Consciousness
(2) The Imbalance Between Process-Oriented Thinking and Outcome-Oriented Awareness
(3) The Biases in Chinese Purpose Consciousness and Their Correction
II. A Perspective on Zen Buddhism
(1) The Psychological Perspective on the Study of Zen
(2) "Sudden Enlightenment" and Traditional Chinese Purpose Consciousness
(3) A Critical Examination of the Essence and Flaws of Zen Teachings
III. Revisiting the Debate Between "Problems" and "Doctrines"
(1) Hu Shi's Argument, Which May Not Have Been Timely
(2) The Gains and Losses of "Fundamental Solutions"

(3) Ideal Motivation and Feasible Approaches
Afterword: Once Again on the Reform of "National Character"