CHINESE IMAGES IN V.O. PELEVIN’S NOVEL “CHAPAYEV AND PUSTOTA”

Abstract

Viktor Pelevin is a unique postmodernist writer. His works are distinguished by captivating plots and profound philosophical ideas. His novels not only integrate postmodern techniques with traditions and combine classical culture with popular culture, but also blur the boundaries between reality and fiction, thereby constructing a myth of modern Russian literature. The images of China is a significant feature of Pelevin’s. His writings either draw upon traditional Chinese culture to evoke an atmosphere of foreignness, incorporate Chinese mythology into the text, or utilize Chinese philosophy as the conceptual foundation of the novel. In the novel “Chapayev and Pustota”, Pelevin not only depicts various attitudes of Russians toward Chinese culture, ranging from approval to rejection, but also draws on concepts from Chinese Buddhism to elaborate the argument that “the world is a mirage”. The Chinese imagery in Pelevin’s novels represents a form of utopian fantasy. On the one hand, he uses these utopian Chinese images to subvert Soviet reality; on the other hand, he constructs a conceptual framework rooted in Chinese culture.