Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.1, 2025

Between Legend and Reality: The Dual Allegory of Tiger Tiger

(Abstract)

Rao Xiang

Tiger Tiger marks Li Xiuwen’s return to the novel genre after years of hiatus, showcasing a significant change in style, particularly in its allegorical nature. The novel creates a multi-layered space of metaphor with the aid of intertextuality. The first part uses “A Man Fights a Tiger” plot to satirize the “Wu Song Fights a Tiger” narrative, delving into the real world distorted by power. The latter part, drawing on “The Legend of the Tiger-Man” and other metamorphosis tales, renders a new story of “man turning into a tiger,” employing physical transformation as an aesthetic means to solve spiritual alienation. This signals a return to the natural essence for those deeply engaged in society. The allegorical writing in Tiger Tiger and other recent works manifest Li Xiuwen’s new style in novelistic aesthetic.