Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.1, 2023 

Towards a Literary Criticism That Is in Tune with the Works, the Authors and the Readers

(Abstract)

Zhang Kuizhi

Literary criticism has to step out of the critic himself, and should be in tune with the works, the authors and the readers. In terms of the work, what is needed is to “enter” it, i.e. the critic should “enter” the work, to devote himself to it, to experience and feel it; in terms of the author, what is needed is to “get close” to him/her, that is, the critic must “get close” to the author, understand the author’s life and experience, and study the author’s ideas; for the reader, what is needed is “direction,” that is, the critic has to “lead” the reader, he has to be like a navigator, making the reader understand the strengths and weaknesses of the work and its reason.