Foreign literature study over 70 years solidifies disciplinary system
Many founders of Chinese modern literature such as Lu Xun (1881–1936) were often translators of foreign literary works. The study of foreign literature and that of Chinese literature cannot be separated. Photo: FILE
After years of development, the study of foreign literature has become a first-class discipline in China, sharing the same significance as that of Chinese literature, and academic circles have established numerous foreign literature societies and journals with a number of excellent articles in dedicated research. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, it is necessary to review the achievements of research into Chinese foreign literature and identify the field’s tasks in the new era. This is of great significance to the innovation in foreign literature theory and the construction of the disciplinary system.
Lu Jiande, former director of the Institute of Literature under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), said that in the early days of reform and opening up, the introduction of foreign literature and relevant theories greatly promoted Chinese literary creation. During this period, although there were problems such as excessive emphasis on methods and excessive empty talk, overall, the progress was considerable.
Wang Yukuo, dean of the School of Foreign Studies at Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, said that the scope of research of foreign literature has gradually expanded over the past 70 years. In the beginning, we focused mainly on Soviet realism and critical realism writers and works. After the reform and opening up, we paid more attention to introducing Western modernist and postmodernist writers and works. Furthermore, China’s research of foreign literature has developed from learning of literary theories and research methods from foreign academic circles, to reflecting on and examining them with more seriousness.
The study of foreign literature includes literary phenomena, writers, trends in literary thought, schools of literature, the works themselves and their translation. Xu Jun, executive vice president of the Translators Association of China and a professor at Zhejiang University, said that in the past 70 years, Chinese scholars have done a lot of work in the introduction and translation of foreign literature. Through translation, Chinese scholars have a good understanding of the spiritual lives, real lives and aesthetic interests of other nations, which has further promoted cultural exchange between China and other countries.
Wang added that many new academic works such as Study of Foreign Literature Over 60 Years, Course of the Chinese Academic Study of Foreign Literature and Foreign Literature in the Process of Modernization have summed up the research results of foreign literature and laid a solid foundation for further development in China.
Xu said that the study of foreign literature includes research on structure, narrative and value. As the demands of literary creation have undergone great changes in the new era, the corresponding research methods have also diversified. Interdisciplinary research methods enrich the means of literary research and the connotations of literary works.
Although interdisciplinary research has enriched our understanding of texts, we can’t put the cart before the horse. In terms of literary criticism, more attention should be put on the text itself, Xu said.
Lu said that in the 1950s and 1960s, scholars tried to discover a literary world that has very clear boundaries with other disciplines, but it turned out that this pursuit is almost impossible. Therefore, scholars must realize that literature has no specific boundaries, just like the research of foreign literature.
Wang continued that since the founding of the PRC 70 years ago, the disciplinary system of China’s foreign literature study has developed relatively well, but the construction of the discourse system still has a long way to go.
Lu said that there is an intertextual relationship between Chinese modern literature and foreign literature. Many founders of Chinese modern literature such as Lu Xun were often translators of foreign literary works. Scholars such as Feng Zhi, Li Jianwu, Bian Zhilin, Yang Jiang and Feng Zongpu from the Institute of Foreign Literature under CASS are also translators, poets and writers. We cannot separate the study of foreign literature and that of Chinese literature, rather we must promote exchanges between the two.
edited by YANG LANLAN