A Survey of Gorky Studies in China Based on CNKI Database

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of Chinese-language scholarly publications on Maxim Gorky available in the CNKI database as of December 31, 2024. A total of 562 publications were examined. The research corpus was compiled through a systematic search of the CNKI database, followed by statistical processing and manual verification of the retrieved materials. The analysis reveals that peaks in scholarly interest in Gorky in China occurred in 1981, 1986, and 1997, coinciding with anniversaries, academic conferences, and the introduction of new biographical and epistolary sources. The core focus of Chinese Gorky scholarship is shown to center on the novel Mother, The Song of the Stormy Petrel, humanistic themes, the concept of “literature as a study of humanity,” and comparative studies between Gorky and Lu Xun. It is demonstrated that research articles are predominantly published in specialized journals on Russian, Soviet, and world literature, while there is a noticeable expansion into theoretical literary studies and interdisciplinary publications. The study emphasizes that within Chinese literary scholarship, Gorky is interpreted as an author of revolutionary-humanist texts, a catalyst for debates on man and literature, and a pivotal figure in Russian-Chinese comparative studies. The findings suggest a transition in Chinese Gorky studies from predominantly evaluative and receptive approaches to a multidimensional model that integrates textual analysis, ideological interpretation, and crosscultural comparison.