Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.2, 2020

From “Aphasia” to “Going Global”: The Contemporary Construction and Its Influence of Chinese Literary Theory

(Abstract)

Tao Guoshan

Broad in conception and meticulous in details, China’s ancient scholars had built up a system of literary criticism. Since modern times, Chinese scholars have been integrating ancient and modern ideas, linking China and the West, and invented many creative concepts in literary theory. Especially in the past 40 years of reform and opening-up, China’s literary theory has been seeking self construction of literary discourse from the reflection of “aphasia”, and through the criticism “imposed interpretation” of Western literary theory to seek its own voice, and then to appeal to “Going Global” to exert its influence. The “Going Global” of the Chinese literary theory should be a literary theory that combines ancient and modern, connecting China and the West, as well as one that can dialogue with the world.