1、 Introduction

Russian Symbolism is a literary movement that emerged at the end of the 19th century under the influence of French Symbolism, closely related to Russian social crisis awareness and end of century emotions. It developed earliest, achieved the highest level of success, and had the most profound influence in the Silver Age, and is regarded as the main art school in the cultural history of 20th century Russia. The development of Russian symbolism can be divided into three stages: the formation period in the 1890s, the flourishing period in the first decade of the 20th century, and the decline period in 1910. As the mouthpiece and showcase of the Symbolist Movement, Libra magazine witnessed the rise and fall of Symbolism, recorded the formation process of the main aesthetic principles and theoretical propositions of Symbolism, reflected the evolution of the Symbolist school of thought in Russia, and played an important role in the self exploration and deepening of artistic methods and theories of Symbolism in Russia. This article aims to explore the development and changes of the ideological and aesthetic positions of the Symbolist school through the analysis of the Symbolist theory articles and commentary articles published in the Libra magazine, analyze the evolution of individual poets and the artistic orientation of the entire Symbolist school, and provide a new perspective for the study of Russian symbolism.

2、 Libra (1904-1905): Symbolist literary forces working together

During the period of 1904-1905, Libra magazine served as the mouthpiece of the Russian Symbolist literary movement, dedicated to uniting Symbolist poets from Moscow and St. Petersburg, promoting the development of Symbolist theory, and establishing its position in Russian culture. The magazine was founded by five people including Balmont and Polyakov. Unlike traditional large magazines, it is a manifesto magazine with main columns including "General Articles on Art, Science, and Literature Issues" and "Literary Life Newsletter". In 1905, a novel column was added. Symbolist poets such as Brusov and Merezhkovsky collaborated closely with magazines, publishing theoretical and critical articles as well as works of high artistic quality, such as Brusov's novel "The Angel of Flames" and Bere's "The Silver Dove".

3、 Libra (1906-1908): The internal divisions of symbolism

Between 1906 and 1908, the Libra magazine witnessed significant divisions within Russian symbolism. The St. Petersburg faction and the Moscow faction had a fierce conflict over the debate of "mysterious anarchism", among which Chulkov proposed the idea of "mysterious anarchism", which was criticized by "Libra". Ivanov played a key role in the formation of this idea, while Brusov strongly opposed it, believing that the collection of "Torch" was a reactionary element in the art world. This debate led to the rupture of Ivanov, Chulkov, Horodytsky, and others from Libra, while Blok maintained a cooperative relationship despite criticism. After joining Libra, Belei's works enhanced the magazine's critical thinking. He opposed "mystical anarchism" and advocated a return to individualism. The relationship between the Merezhkovsky couple and Libra was estranged due to differences in religious beliefs and artistic concepts. Ellis' extreme stance and sharp criticism further exacerbated internal divisions, emphasizing the elitist and aristocratic nature of art and opposing the introduction of social utilitarian factors into literature and aesthetics. The establishment of the "Wild Rose" publishing house and its publication "Wild Rose" were seen as a symbol of symbolic differentiation, which Ellis criticized. Libra sees itself as the guardian of orthodox symbolism, in opposition to magazines such as the St. Petersburg School's Golden Fleece and Mountain Pass. These events collectively led to internal divisions within Symbolism, and Belei believed that this internal debate "extinguished the raging flames of Symbolism".

4、 Libra (1909): The Decline of Symbolist Internal Debate

Discussed the situation of the reorganization of internal forces and the decline of debates within Russian symbolism in 1909 in the magazine Libra. The symbolic discourse of St. Petersburg lost its vitality, and Blok, Ivanov, and others realized the crisis of "mysterious anarchism". The Golden Fleece magazine began to positively evaluate Brusov and Belei, with Belei becoming the enlightener of the new direction of Libra and critically viewing the Symbolist Movement. The debate between the North and South factions is coming to an end, and the internal debate of symbolism has come to an end. Brusov felt the crisis faced by 'Libra', Russian symbolism experienced a serious crisis, and a new wave emerged in the art world, calling for the end of symbolism. In the 11th issue of 1908, the editorial department of "Libra" published an explanation for subscribing to the 1909 "Libra" magazine, claiming that the worldview of modern advanced thought was outdated and willing to explore all new spiritual fields, but firmly distinguishing between individualism and symbolism as creative methods. Libra began to reject symbolism as a worldview, but still regarded it as a creative method. The editorial department discussed the topic of "ending the debate", stating that combat missions have lost their former importance. Brusov was eager to continue working with Ivanov, and from 1909 onwards, "Libra" would undergo another transformation, with the debate section reduced to a minimum. The core personnel of the editorial department have undergone directional adjustments, with Belei becoming the new leader. The direction is completely different from the previous Western and liberal art tendencies, and more emphasis is placed on Russian national culture. Belei published an article in Libra, clearly expressing his doubts about Brusov as a Symbolist thinker, pointing out that the Westernist tendency is a remnant, and emphasizing the importance of national culture. The proposition of opposing the West and deepening national literature has become the central theme of Bailey's novel "Silver Dove". Under the leadership of Belei, the "Westernization" tendency of "Libra" weakened, and the Russian theme began to gain the upper hand. Brusov published an article evaluating works based on the standards of art itself rather than social factors, questioning the view that "Gogol is a realist writer" and believing that the true secret to uncovering Gogol's creative secrets is "extremism". Brusov regarded Gogol as a master of symbolism, seeking the source of symbolism from the Russian literary tradition. His aesthetic views underwent a change, and his differences with Belay began to heal. Brusov even rejected the founding article of Libra in 1904 and critically viewed the aesthetic line of Russian symbolism and the entire Symbolist movement. A scandal erupted around Ellis, who was accused of stealing books, causing a huge uproar. Internal friction and external attacks among magazine members have weakened the vitality of Libra and accelerated its suspension. In March 1910, the last issue of Libra was published, and the editorial department decided to suspend publication, explaining that the reason for the suspension was that the magazine had already achieved victory. Libra "is a nest of Russian writers who emerged from the shell and have fully developed their wings, promoting new ideas and cultivating young talents, and sparking the Symbolist Movement. Libra is a gate that existed before the convergence of two streams of thought. When the gate is opened, its own existence loses its meaning. The Symbolist Movement has not disappeared, but the words used as slogans shine with different radiance in each era.

5、 Conclusion

As the core journal of the Russian Symbolist Movement, Libra magazine's six-year development reflects the rise and fall of symbolism. At first, 'Libra' aimed to promote foreign new art and interpret symbolism theory. From 1904 to 1905, it worked hard to unify the Symbolist North and South factions, becoming a representative of the school. From 1906 to 1908, "Libra" engaged in a fierce debate with internal heretical theories, becoming a stronghold of Moscow Symbolism. After Brusov's withdrawal in 1909, Libra fell into crisis and ultimately ceased publication in 1910. This magazine has published many high-level works, enriched the theory of Russian symbolism, and established the position of modernism in Russian culture, transforming symbolism from difficult to understand art to a phenomenon of high art. The publication of Libra promoted the popularization of symbolism in Russia, and its life course showed that once its mission was accomplished, the Manifesto magazine lost its vitality.