Abstract: Shen Congwen stands as a resolutely confident cultural figure in the history of modern Chinese literature.In the early 20th century,amid a prevailing current calling for the wholesale rejection of traditional culture,he steadfastly devoted himself to the poetic portrayal of rural China.His masterpieceBorder Town exemplifies this cultural confidence through three interrelated dimensions:content,form,and value.In terms of content,his cultural confidence manifests in the construction of a poetic western Hunan,embodied in his high praise for the region's natural landscapes and folk customs.In terms of form,it is expressed through the genre of the poetic novel,characterized by impressionistic lyricism,understated plot development,and enduring aesthetic resonance.In terms of value,it is demonstrated by Shen Congwen's unwavering commitment to poetic aesthetics,reflecting his confidence in the intrinsic value of literature and in his own creative powers.The "western Hunan world" that Shen Congwen constructs in Border Town represents neither an enthusiastic embrace of Western modernity nor a simplistic return to traditional China,but rather a poetic quest for rural China or borderland civilization.In this work,Shen Congwen positively affirms the harmony and warmth of rural China while soberly reflecting on its predicaments and future.Through his western Hunan writings,with Border Town as their emblematic culmination,Shen Congwen gives voice to the unique poetry and warmth of rural China,demonstrating a distinctive cultural confidence in the face of the nation's weakness and poverty in modern times.

Key words: rural China, Shen Congwen, Border Town, cultural confidence, poetic novel