Embracing all humanity as one’s own is the core of the modern idea of cosmopolitanism, but the pr... more Embracing all humanity as one’s own is the core of the modern idea of cosmopolitanism, but the present time with rising tribalism, populism, racism, and narrow-minded nationalism is not propitious for cosmopolitanism. At a time like this, the cosmopolitan effort to see cultures and peoples as close to one another rather than absolutely different becomes all the more important. The comparative study of different cultures and literatures may promote a cosmopolitan stance, and from a comparative perspective, we may draw some ideas from the ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius for a theory of global ethics. *
formed a unified whole. While the cosmology is largely shared, actual interpretations implicate &... more formed a unified whole. While the cosmology is largely shared, actual interpretations implicate "rival identifications, different histories, different traditionalities of a universe" (p. 198). Questions still remain about how these traditionalities could interpenetrate and about how individual agents might affect the systems, but the argument overall is convincing and important. Much of the book is based on fieldwork from the 1960s, and an apparent attempt to appeal to a broader audience means some material is old to China specialists. Yet it still offers significant new material and a new angle on the old material. There is some unfortunate sloppy editing which causes occasional confusion with misspelled names of authors cited; a character list would have lessened the problems caused by errors in romanization. Nevertheless, the book is important for scholars of Chinese religion and of the relation between culture and politics. It questions earlier assumptions and moves in promising new directions.
Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, Mar 1, 2021
The author argues that literary canon formation depends on value judgement, considering that a ca... more The author argues that literary canon formation depends on value judgement, considering that a canon embodies and transmits values that are basic for any particular cultural tradition and is hence significant for a particular community. This can be traced in the Chinese heritage, which would be unthinkable without the concept of wen 文 (letters or the written language) that has been a strong cohesive force for a sense of Chinese cultural identity. Basic cultural values constitute the source of the resilience and tenacity of the canonical. The postmodernist West with its critique of all hierarchies and power relationships, metaphysical and otherwise, sometimes appears as a society in which everyone “knows the price of everything but the value of nothing” (Oscar Wilde). Fredric Jameson rightly diagnoses a postmodernist weakening of historicity as a consequence. But to argue for the irrelevance of value judgement easily amounts to presenting another value with a political position as superior to other positions, which only proves that no argument can be valueless. The rise of world literature studies provides an opportunity to rethink the importance of canonicity, and to reassess works of non-Western literatures and also of “minor” European traditions which have remained too little known, and thus bringing those yet-unknown works to a global audience in an intercultural framework constitutes the making of world literature.
The way (tao) of Heaven, isn’t it comparable to pulling a bow? That which is too high is lowered ... more The way (tao) of Heaven, isn’t it comparable to pulling a bow? That which is too high is lowered down; that which is too low is lifted up. That which is too much is reduced; that which is not enough is compensated. The way of Heaven is to reduce what is too much and compensate what is not enough. The way of man is not like this: It takes from those who have not enough and gives it to those who already have too much. Who can take the too much and give it to all under heaven? Only the one who is in possession of the tao.
A review article on Douwe Fokkema's final book, "Perfect Worlds: Utopian Fiction in Chin... more A review article on Douwe Fokkema's final book, "Perfect Worlds: Utopian Fiction in China and the West" (Amsterdam: Amsterdam UP, 2011).
In much of its history from the 19th century to the last decade of the 20th, comparative literatu... more In much of its history from the 19th century to the last decade of the 20th, comparative literature remains largely Euro-centered, and the rise of world literature today offers an opportunity to transcend Eurocentrism and introduce many of the yet unknown canonical works from non-Western and "minor" European literatures to a global readership. We need a world literary map to show what the world looks like in terms of literary traditions and their important works, and therefore a world history of literature is the necessary first step towards a better understanding of what is world literature.
Zhang maintains that world literature is on the rise in a globalized world. Now, all literary tra... more Zhang maintains that world literature is on the rise in a globalized world. Now, all literary traditions, particularly non-Western and even “minor” European traditions, should introduce their works to a global readership. But not everything that circulates in the world is world literature; only the best or canonical works of the world’s different literatures matter here. Given the imbalance of power in economic, political, and even military terms, what is now well known as world literature is still limited to major Western literary traditions. But by translating canonical works of non-Western literatures into a lingua franca like English, and following up with criticism and scholarship, we will be able to establish a set of canonical works that is truly world literature.
Meaning in language is always contextual, and so is the intellectual pursuit of any kind. In maki... more Meaning in language is always contextual, and so is the intellectual pursuit of any kind. In making a case in any scholarly discourse, we always respond to a prior argument in the form of a dialogue or intellectual exchange and communication, and that in significant ways determines the orientation of our own argument. In 20th-century theorizing in the West, be it philosophical, historical, sociological, anthropological, or literary-critical, a tendency toward overemphasizing difference becomes prominent, and that forms the context within which we need to rethink the basic assumptions in the humanistic and social scientific studies. To make explicit what contextual determinants govern contemporary intellectual discourse is a way forward to think ”outside the box,” so to speak, and to rectify some of the excesses, particularly in East-West cross-cultural understanding.
Embracing all humanity as one’s own is the core of the modern idea of cosmopolitanism, but the pr... more Embracing all humanity as one’s own is the core of the modern idea of cosmopolitanism, but the present time with rising tribalism, populism, racism, and narrow-minded nationalism is not propitious for cosmopolitanism. At a time like this, the cosmopolitan effort to see cultures and peoples as close to one another rather than absolutely different becomes all the more important. The comparative study of different cultures and literatures may promote a cosmopolitan stance, and from a comparative perspective, we may draw some ideas from the ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius for a theory of global ethics. *
formed a unified whole. While the cosmology is largely shared, actual interpretations implicate &... more formed a unified whole. While the cosmology is largely shared, actual interpretations implicate "rival identifications, different histories, different traditionalities of a universe" (p. 198). Questions still remain about how these traditionalities could interpenetrate and about how individual agents might affect the systems, but the argument overall is convincing and important. Much of the book is based on fieldwork from the 1960s, and an apparent attempt to appeal to a broader audience means some material is old to China specialists. Yet it still offers significant new material and a new angle on the old material. There is some unfortunate sloppy editing which causes occasional confusion with misspelled names of authors cited; a character list would have lessened the problems caused by errors in romanization. Nevertheless, the book is important for scholars of Chinese religion and of the relation between culture and politics. It questions earlier assumptions and moves in promising new directions.
Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, Mar 1, 2021
The author argues that literary canon formation depends on value judgement, considering that a ca... more The author argues that literary canon formation depends on value judgement, considering that a canon embodies and transmits values that are basic for any particular cultural tradition and is hence significant for a particular community. This can be traced in the Chinese heritage, which would be unthinkable without the concept of wen 文 (letters or the written language) that has been a strong cohesive force for a sense of Chinese cultural identity. Basic cultural values constitute the source of the resilience and tenacity of the canonical. The postmodernist West with its critique of all hierarchies and power relationships, metaphysical and otherwise, sometimes appears as a society in which everyone “knows the price of everything but the value of nothing” (Oscar Wilde). Fredric Jameson rightly diagnoses a postmodernist weakening of historicity as a consequence. But to argue for the irrelevance of value judgement easily amounts to presenting another value with a political position as superior to other positions, which only proves that no argument can be valueless. The rise of world literature studies provides an opportunity to rethink the importance of canonicity, and to reassess works of non-Western literatures and also of “minor” European traditions which have remained too little known, and thus bringing those yet-unknown works to a global audience in an intercultural framework constitutes the making of world literature.
The way (tao) of Heaven, isn’t it comparable to pulling a bow? That which is too high is lowered ... more The way (tao) of Heaven, isn’t it comparable to pulling a bow? That which is too high is lowered down; that which is too low is lifted up. That which is too much is reduced; that which is not enough is compensated. The way of Heaven is to reduce what is too much and compensate what is not enough. The way of man is not like this: It takes from those who have not enough and gives it to those who already have too much. Who can take the too much and give it to all under heaven? Only the one who is in possession of the tao.
A review article on Douwe Fokkema's final book, "Perfect Worlds: Utopian Fiction in Chin... more A review article on Douwe Fokkema's final book, "Perfect Worlds: Utopian Fiction in China and the West" (Amsterdam: Amsterdam UP, 2011).
In much of its history from the 19th century to the last decade of the 20th, comparative literatu... more In much of its history from the 19th century to the last decade of the 20th, comparative literature remains largely Euro-centered, and the rise of world literature today offers an opportunity to transcend Eurocentrism and introduce many of the yet unknown canonical works from non-Western and "minor" European literatures to a global readership. We need a world literary map to show what the world looks like in terms of literary traditions and their important works, and therefore a world history of literature is the necessary first step towards a better understanding of what is world literature.
Zhang maintains that world literature is on the rise in a globalized world. Now, all literary tra... more Zhang maintains that world literature is on the rise in a globalized world. Now, all literary traditions, particularly non-Western and even “minor” European traditions, should introduce their works to a global readership. But not everything that circulates in the world is world literature; only the best or canonical works of the world’s different literatures matter here. Given the imbalance of power in economic, political, and even military terms, what is now well known as world literature is still limited to major Western literary traditions. But by translating canonical works of non-Western literatures into a lingua franca like English, and following up with criticism and scholarship, we will be able to establish a set of canonical works that is truly world literature.
Meaning in language is always contextual, and so is the intellectual pursuit of any kind. In maki... more Meaning in language is always contextual, and so is the intellectual pursuit of any kind. In making a case in any scholarly discourse, we always respond to a prior argument in the form of a dialogue or intellectual exchange and communication, and that in significant ways determines the orientation of our own argument. In 20th-century theorizing in the West, be it philosophical, historical, sociological, anthropological, or literary-critical, a tendency toward overemphasizing difference becomes prominent, and that forms the context within which we need to rethink the basic assumptions in the humanistic and social scientific studies. To make explicit what contextual determinants govern contemporary intellectual discourse is a way forward to think ”outside the box,” so to speak, and to rectify some of the excesses, particularly in East-West cross-cultural understanding.
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