Method of spiritual victory

The method of spiritual victory[1] (simplified Chinese: 精神胜利法; traditional Chinese: 精神勝利法; pinyin: Jīngshén shènglì fǎ), or spiritual victory method,[2] strategy of spiritual triumph,[3] also known as the spirit of Ah Q, [4] is a concept that Lu Xun criticized in The True Story of Ah Q as a self-comforting method. [5] When Ah Q was beaten or bested, he would use this method to comfort himself. [6] It depicts the mentality of Chinese people in a satirical posture, and also has a derogatory meaning.[7]

Method of spiritual victory
Traditional Chinese精神勝利法
Simplified Chinese精神胜利法

Method of spiritual victory is a technique used to regain self-esteem by making oneself feel good through self-hypnosis, and self-anesthesia. Briefly, it is to describe those who have actually suffered losses, but can only shift to seeking self-comfort in spirit.[8]

Method of spiritual victory has gone on to be often referred to as a reflection of a negative characteristic of the Chinese national character.[9] It is broad in the sense that it is possible for everyone to use the spiritual victory method, even for self-comfort and to ignore the dissatisfaction of others.[10]

Lu Xun used the "method of spiritual victory" to satirize the spiritual anesthesia of Chinese people at that time. In contemporary Chinese society, it is still alive and well.[11]

See also

References
  1. John Makeham (2014). Transforming Consciousness: Yogācāra Thought in Modern China. Oxford University Press. pp. 396–. ISBN 978-0-19-935813-7.
  2. Kam Louie (20 November 2014). Chinese Masculinities in a Globalizing World. Routledge. pp. 149–. ISBN 978-1-134-65123-8.
  3. Qian Suoqiao (12 November 2010). Liberal Cosmopolitan: Lin Yutang and Middling Chinese Modernity. Brill Publishers. pp. 56–. ISBN 978-90-04-19214-0.
  4. "A loss, no bad thing or a blessing in disguise". Stedu.stheadline.com. 2019-11-08.
  5. "Be brave and take responsibility for your decisions in the face of problems". Liberty Times. 2020-01-14.
  6. Wendy Larson (16 October 2008). From Ah Q to Lei Feng: Freud and Revolutionary Spirit in 20th Century China. Stanford University Press. pp. 77–. ISBN 978-0-8047-6982-2.
  7. "The method of spiritual victory in contemporary society". Liberty Times. 2020-06-13.
  8. "He perfectly interpreted what is "the spirit of Ah Q"". Stand News. 2016-03-10.
  9. Michael Berry (25 July 2019). Jia Zhangke's 'Hometown Trilogy': Xiao Wu, Platform, Unknown Pleasures. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 48–. ISBN 978-1-83871-655-4.
  10. "The method of spiritual victory has not disappeared". Yahoo! News. Jan 15, 2020.
  11. Kerry Brown. "Trump, China, and Ah Q". The Diplomat. October 12, 2018.
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