Definitions and Abbreviations Introduction I. Literary Reverberations between England and China II. Nature as a Novel Interest III. Ziran: A Taoist Conception of Nature IV. The Comparative Methodology: Potential and Principle V. Ecocriticism and Taoism Chapter 1 The Relational Self in Symbiosis: Far from the Madding Crowd and Fengzi I. Novels of Character and Ziranx II. A Relational Self and the Secularised Religion of Nature III. A Reconceptualisation of Pastoralism IV. Conclusion Chapter 2 The Aesthetics of Silence: The Woodlanders and The Border Town I. Relative Silence of Speech II. Novelistic Lyricism? III. The Seasonal Tempo IV. Nature-Witnessing V. Qualities of Silence VI. Conclusion Chapter 3 The Taoist Return: The Return of the Native and Long River I. Resistance to an Alienation from Ziran II. Scepticism towards the Institutional Power III. Literary Impressionism IV. A Dialectic between Nature and Culture V. A Return to Literary Autonomy VI. Conclusion Conclusion: Towards a Taoist Literary Method Glossary of Terms References Appendices Appendix A Maps and Pictures Appendix B Synopses of the Novels Appendix C Timelines of Hardy and Shen
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