Showing papers in "Frontiers of Literary Studies in China in 2010"

Tragedy of the Self-Splitting—A Psychological Reading of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye

Abstract: In the novel The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison digs out the negative impacts the mainstream culture exerts on the black people through the depiction of the tragedy of the Breedlove family. The Breedloves are always after their dreams of building an ideal ego in their self-pursuit, but the adverse circumstances in the white-dominated society give them no “Other” to project in their self-building, thus making their frail efforts all in vain. Under such a hostile environment, they are mentally forced to linger in their prolonged mirror stage and this is just the reason for their self-splitting. The Breedloves are stuck in the permanent contradiction of the Mirror Stage, and the insurmountable conflict between their ideal ego and their real life sets the tone for their tragic life. This article attempts to present the mental sufferings the white society sets for the blacks through an analysis of the life track of the Breedloves in accordance with Jacques Lacan’s theory.

Reflections on the Crisis of Comparative Literature as a Discipline

Abstract: This paper discusses the so-called “crisis” and “death” of comparative literature as a discipline, arguing that the congenital deficiency and internal illogicality are the root causes that make comparative literature lose the disciplinary consciousness in its growth. The theoretical turn, great emergence of cultural studies and the flooding of deconstructive torrent within the past thirty years are the external causes that lead the discipline into “crisis” and “death.” The paper asserts that despite its crises, comparative literature is not dying, but growing rapidly. The paper suggests that only by effectively constructing its disciplinary theory can Chinese comparative literature possibly strive to be the representative of the discipline in its third stage after French and American schools.

20th Century exploration of the “Issue of the Chinese Epic”

Abstract: The paper explores the question of the Chinese language epic, a topic frequently discussed in academic circles throughout the 20th century. Over the past century, many academics of an older generation have put forward ideas for resolving this issue, which arose from the perspective of the origins of Western literature. But careful examination indicates that all the hypotheses and explanations do not faithfully or fully adhere to the facts themselves. This academic affair arose in the course of eastward spread of Western influences when numerous scholars tried to explain the origins of Chinese literature by transplanting to Chinese soil a model of the origins of Western literature. The author doubts the logic of taking such a model as a universal interpretative framework for the historical development of literature or using epic poetry to explain the sources of Chinese literature. Underlying the fact that their academic consciousness was not based on a profound understanding of the facts and materials was a blind and unreflective pursuit of Western discourse; there are lessons to be learned from this.

Modern characteristics in modern Chinese literary theory

Abstract: Being in accord with the great transformation of modern Chinese literature, modern Chinese literary theory is formed against the backdrop of changing modern cultural values in modern China. The multi-roles it has played in modern Chinese society include cultural intervention, social act, and construction of anesthetic experience and literary appreciation. It thus, through a dynamic dialogue between authoritative Western literary theory and traditional Chinese literary theory, manifests distinct features of modernity: vernacular written language, academic institutionalization, cultural explicitness, revolutionary radicalness, Westernization of inner system, and implicit Chinese traditions. It also has developed to a new stage where the localization of Western literary theory in China needs to be constructed and addressed.

Siku Quanshu and the Study of Commentary

Abstract: Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, there formed two theoretical camps in the circles of literary criticism: the camp of pro-commentary and that of anti-commentary. Based on the research of the compilation of Siku quanshu and evaluation on commentary works, this essay aims to explore the ambiguous attitude of the Qing authorities towards the study of commentary, and then further study the reasons, cultural connotations and the academic influences of this finding.

The Development of Poetry Helped by Ancient Postal Service in the Tang Dynasty

Abstract: The spread of poetry by way of ancient postal service in Tang dynasty is an important subject in studying the development of Tang poetry. The ancient postal system in Tang dynasty included both water route and land route which covered every corner of the country, formed a highly developed and strict system. Besides transmitting government decrees and transporting officials and goods, the ancient postal service also helped the development of Tang poetry. Many historical documents proved that ancient postal service in Tang dynasty ensured an immediate transportation between poets and contributed to the wide-spread of the poetry, and it also served as a bridge between the poets who were in great distance and then helped to form different poetry schools and fashion.

Old State and New Mission: A Survey of Utopian Literature during the Late Qing Dynasty and the Early Period of the Republic of China

Abstract: The prosperity of utopian literature happened under the historical background that China was faced with “the greatest turbulence which had never occurred for the past three thousand years.” The significant changes took place in modern China were not merely a passive response to the outside threats, but an active pursuit of something greater. The utopian literature gave expression to Chinese people’s desire of stepping out of tradition to the new land of civilization. The aesthetic common sense created by the utopian novels filled the vacuum of faith after the decline of tradition and performed the social functions of uniting people and promoting reform. The popularity of utopian literature improved the cultural position of literature and accelerated its change from the traditional form to the modern form.

Literary theory, theory, and post-theory

Abstract: By tracing the development of literary studies in the 20th century, this article distinguishes “Theory of Literature” (or “Literary Theory”), “Theory” and “Post-theory” by their distinctive attributions in varied historical and cultural contexts, and then further demonstrates their theoretical paradigms, namely, the modern paradigm of formalism, the post-modern paradigm of French Theory, and the post-theory paradigm after theory. The author argues that the “literary theory” was formed in the framework of modern humanities, emphasizing the linguistic and aesthetic aspects of literary studies, and therefore it was actually a product of modern disciplinary differentiation and specialization. As for “Theory”, it emerged in the context of human sciences and was beyond the boundaries of the literary studies. With “Politics of Theory” as its core, it gave rise to a “grand theory”. Compared with them, “post-theory” seems even more complicated. Through the theoretical development of the two former phases, it is characterized by both reflexivity and multiplicity.

Urban space and literary type: On Haipai literature as a literary type

Abstract: As a southern literature in China, Haipai Literature is rich with local characteristics. Nevertheless, it transcends any local restrictions at the same time, in the sense that it reflects the features of modern urban literature. Haipai Literature represents the earliest efforts and attempts of modern urban literature in China, manifesting the complexities of modern Chinese literature. As a new literary paradigm, Haipai Literature is not only flexible and innovative, but also adaptable to the modern urban life, becoming a modern mechanism of literary production and delivery. All literature-related systems, such as the earliest remuneration system, professional writers, literary magazines, newspaper supplements, were concentrated in Shanghai. These systems reflect from one profile the unique value and significance of Haipai Literature in the history of Chinese literature. To study Haipai Literature does not mean to reminisce, but to reexamine and make use of historical resources in the systemic innovation of modern literary mechanism. From the emergence and development of Haipai Literature, in the typological sense, it could be drawn that what kind of inner and outer premises are needed in the development of a new type of literature.

On the theatricality of the Ci-poetry in tang and song dynasties

Abstract: Ci-poetry and drama are both genres of musical literature and the theatricality of the ci-poetry is demonstrated from many different aspects, such as the first-person narration, the emotional lyrics with unique features, the musical dialogues between two people or among many people, the dramatic conflict presented in the lyrics, the dramatic actions and the dramatic situations, etc. There are all kinds of plays in the ci-poetry, namely the serious drama, the comedy, the tragedy, the comedy with tears, the fantasy and the allegorical play. The ci-poetry of the Tang and Song dynasties exerted great influence on drama and on the other hand, the army-joining drama of the Tang dynasty and the miscellaneous drama of the Song dynasty to some extent inspired the creation of ci-poetry. The relationship between ci-poetry and drama confirms the mutual infiltration and cross reference among different literary genres in the Song dynasty.

Zhao Yuanren’s translation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its significance in modern Chinese literary history

Abstract: Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland first translated into Chinese by Zhao Yuanren was published in 1922. As an advocator of the New Literature Movement, Zhao chose to translate the famous fantastic novel in vernacular Chinese, which was virtually a linguistic experiment for the New Literature. He fulfilled the seemingly impossible mission and his version has been most popular till now. While the taste of Nonsense Literature which Zhao favored in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, was ignored or changed in its two Chinese imitators: Shen Congwen’s Alice’s Adventures in China in 1928 and Chen Bochui’s Ms. Alice in 1931.

On the standardization of poetry writing in the Tang dynasty

Abstract: Researchers disagree on the values and status of literary criticism in the Tang dynasty. Therefore, there have been demands this issue to be explored in greater depth and comprehensively analyzed. Poetics in the Tang dynasty was characterized by a process of “standardization” that witnessed a change in focus from “what to write” to “how to write”.

Chopin’s deadly awakening—An analysis of the women characters in The Awakening

Abstract: Chopin gives us answer through her treatment with the three women characters in The Awakening. Like a new-born child, Edna begins to explore her real identity in the new world after she awakens from a long sleep. She does not realize that she has no power to motivate man to help her achieve her dream. The other female character worth mentioning is Adele—a seemingly perfect woman in that society. The next female character is Mademoiselle Reisz. She is an independent artist-woman. All of the three women just reflect Chopin’s awakening of women’s social identity and her confusion with the choice of life. That is also why Chopin just leaves us an open ending in this novel. All of the three women just reflect Chopin’s awakening of women’s social identity and her confusion with the choice of life. That is also why Chopin just leaves us an open ending in this novel.

“Speech is civilization itself”: A comparison drawn between the Chinese and Indian cultural tradition

Abstract: The great civilizations are created both in ancient China and India, but they differ considerably in the forms in which the culture achieves expression. This article puts in order the different forms from the aspects of language, linguistics, the philosophy of linguistics, the relation between language and literature, etc., which keep alive the cultural traditions of the two countries. The article explores the underlying causes and explains how the Indian Buddhism makes the direct connection with the ancient Chinese culture, and plays the complementary and supplementary role in the development of the ancient Chinese linguistics and literature.

The Western Image of Chinese and Its Expression in Poetry: From Victor Segalen’s Stèles to Gérard Macé’s Chinese Lesson

Abstract: This paper presents specific problems posed by the Chinese translation of Victor Segalen’s prose poetry collection Steles, and reflects on the varied relationships between Western writers and the Chinese language. The author holds that the relationship between Segalen and Chinese is not only empirical, but imaginary. For him, as for other contemporary French poets such as Gerard Mace, the Chinese language has become metaphoric for poetic language.