Between the Obsession of the Rhino and the Desert of the CityAn Analysis of the Internal and External Dilemmas of Contemporary People's Spiritual Siege, Using Love's Rhino as an Example

As the pervasive influence of Western experimental theater has grown, outstanding creators have spawned a multitude of avant-garde Chinese plays that challenge traditional norms, among which The Lover's Rhinoceros is undoubtedly a successful work. This paper takes the avant-garde play The Lover's Rhinoceros as its primary core text, delving profoundly deep into the spiritual predicament faced by contemporary peoplethe internal and external pressures of the siege state. This paper aims to reveal that the spiritual predicament of contemporary people is fundamentally the product of dual pressures from internal obsessions and external desolationindividuals cannot find true emotional and value fulfillment in the external world, nor can they escape the self-imposed prison of their inner selves. Through the mirror of this play, this paper profoundly presents the universal spiritual siege and its underlying tragic roots that contemporary people encounter in their pursuit of the meaning of life and emotional belonging.