Abstract:

Research on novel criticism from the perspective of “material culture” encompasses three dimensions: printing technology, printing institutions, and dissemination and reception. Printing technology shapes the material presentation of novel criticism at a technical level, including layout, illustrations, and color block printing. Printing institutions, including publishing houses, printing bureaus, and newspaper offices, serve as the carriers and practitioners of these technologies. Their application and promotion enabled the large-scale printing and replication of novel criticism, imbuing it with a strong commercial character. Dissemination and reception focus on the process in which novel criticism, as a “cultural commodity”, enters the circulation field, with price, distribution channels, and media being the most critical factors. Integrating “material culture” into the study of novel criticism provides a valuable supplement to previous research paradigms that predominantly emphasized literary criticism.

Key words: novel criticism, material culture, printing technology, novel publishing, novel dissemination