昌耀的故乡情结最初呈现为思乡与思亲的情感渴求。归来后昌耀的生存境况得到改善，青海成为昌耀的第二故乡，昌耀的故乡情结由原初地域情感性的思乡之念升华到精神的思索，并构筑了自己的精神原乡。在由感性到精神的转化过程中，生存的意义被放大，乡愁从最初的地域情感之念转变为形而上的生命体验，因此昌耀的故乡情结并非仅限于地域、情感的思念，而是由三个层次构成：一是第一故乡的地域情感之念，是身处异乡对故乡的怀念；二是历经波折归来后对精神原乡的守望与建构，是对自我精神理想崇高感的顶礼膜拜；三是哲理性的乡愁，是从形而上的角度思索对生命本质和生命之乡的终极关怀。

The hometown complex of Chang Yao was initially an emotional longing for hometown and family. After returning, Chang Yao welcomed the improvement of his living conditions, and Qinghai became his second hometown. His hometown complex sublimated from the emotional homesickness to the spiritual contemplation, and he constructed his own spiritual homeland. In the process of transforming from emotion to spirit, the meaning of survival was amplified, and his homesickness changed from the initial attachment for a place to a metaphysical life experience. Therefore, Chang Yao's hometown complex was not limited to emotional attachment for one place, but consisted of three levels: the first level was homesickness for his first hometown; the second level was guarding and constructing the spiritual homeland after experiencing twists and turns, which was to pay homage to his spiritual ideals; the third level was philosophical homesickness, which was the ultimate concern for the essence of life and the hometown of life from a metaphysical perspective.