The present column carries five essays(one of which is by Prof.Chen Bohai's) centering around the theme of ″Establishing Chinese
Literary Theory″. Though each professor has his own say in his specific essay,interestingly,all of them lay emphasis on how to construct ″Chinese Literary Theory″ successfully,while explaining some relevant theories and concepts without caring about who wins the argument.It is a good phenomenon in Chinese literary circles that construction is valued more than controversy.Prof.Chen raises a century issue whose settlement may require the effort of several generations,namely,the
transformation of ″classical Chinese literary theory″ into ″Chinese literary theory″.He cites as an example Chinese
medical science that is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese medical skills but not named ″classical Chinese medical science″,because it not only existed in ancient times but remains dynamic in diagnosing diseases and giving prescriptions today.Therefore,it is regarded as a branch of
modern medical science living side by side with western medical science rather than a thing of the past.To realize the aim of modern transformation,he proposes three steps: interpretation,application and construction,which exerts a considerable influence and broadens people's scope of mind in how to transform ″classical Chinese literary theory″ into ″Chinese literary theory″.Instead of absorbing various methods and ideas of modern western poetics,this literary theory believes in a adopting tracing back to the origin,centering on ″heart″,″sublime″ and ″self-cultivation″ to resist the various human sink in modern society.By taking charge of a discourse hegemony of Chinese literary tradition he try to link various humanism source in the direction of the construction of the 21st century literary theory and
poetics with Chinese characteristics.Prof.Jiang Shuzhuo points out that from the perspective of global regionalization, the transformation of ″classical literary theory″ into ″Chinese literary theory″ is significant to constructing and reviving Chinese culture.He holds the same view with Hu regarding Neo-Confucian poetics: The experiences of modern transformation from Neo-Confucian poetics deserve due attention.Scholars of this school focus on inheriting spiritual values of classical theories while explaining such concepts and categories in a modern way based on their reflections on contemporary living circumstances.They never mechanically borrow a number of words or several parts from classical Chinese literary theory,but integrate it into the modern theoretical system.Jiang states further that in the process of learning their experiences,we need to probe deeply into the development of(Neo-Confucian) poetics as a whole,although it takes readers themselves to get to know how to probe.The academic endeavor made by the school of Neo-Confucian poetics has turned out to be a successful case in establishing Chinese literary theory.Prof.Chao Shunqing expounds profoundly on the concept of ″aphasia of Chinese literary theory″,which he first put forward,and suggests some solutions to the problem.According to him,the problem of the said ″aphasia″ is at a different level from matters concerning one's foreign language proficiency and academic level.The ″aphasia″ in this regard refers to the loss of the power to use the academic rules in Chinese literature and literary theories.The category of classical Chinese literary theories is on the surface of theoretical discourse and is confined to specific times,while academic rules are the underlying substances that control categories.Categories may appear or disappear in different historical times,but theoretical discourse is full of vitality so that it can be transformed in modern times.Under the pervasive influence of Western theories,Chinese scholars' ″self-denying model″ is contributive to the "aphasia of Chinese literature and literary theory".Therefore,the solution to this problem can only be found i
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