New Development of Chinese Literary Anthropology

Chinese literary anthropology, growing out of comparative literature and cross-cultural studies at the end of the 20th century, is a notably innovative research paradigm in contemporary Chinese humanities and enters a new stage at the beginning of the 21st century. Firstly, this essay attempts to interpret how Chinese literary anthropology responds accordingly to the new development of international anthropology and mythology, updates the postmodern concept of myth knowledge of Confucian myth and the pattern of the mythological knowledge, thereby constructing the core in modern Chinese context. Afterward, it discusses the differences between the great tradition and the little tradition, and the significance of returning to the sacred context. Last, the focus of archetypal criticism in the context of Chinese anthropology has moved from literary concerns to cultural concerns and employing the quadruple evidences and five kinds of narratives to comprehensively interpret Confucian classics.

Knowledge Innovation of Great Tradition of Chinese Literary Anthropology

It is very innovative significance that Chinese Literary Anthropology invents the Great Tradition in the new century and puts forward series of theoretical propositions and academic points based on it. The new Great Tradition transforms the opposition between the Great and Little Tradition of American anthropology, and makes the new concepts gain the legitimacy of the cultural values transferred from the old terms. It dates the second coded significance of the written culture from the material narrative and the image narrative of the oral tradition, and highlights the generative and primary of the symbolic significance. It also questions the authenticity of the written representation, endows the truth and credibility to the material and image representation, and manifests the imaginative and expression of the early human culture. Though its theoretical innovation inverts the binary opposition structure, and it wants to jump out of knowledge limits of dual structure such as structure and destruction, objective and subjective, material and spiritual.

On Translation of Classical Chinese Literary Texts

Chinese classical literature is precious treasure of the world literature. In order to transmit and carry forward it, translation is an effective and necessary way, especially as the development ofglobalization and China＇s economy. This paper mainly discusses the history, difficulties, ways and skills on translation of classical Chinese literary texts in this paper.

Research on English Translation of Chinese Literary Terms from the Perspective of International Communication: Interpretation and Standardization

Literary terms are the crystallization of Chinese ideology and wisdom. Translation and communication function as an important link in the construction of the discourse system with Chinese characteristics. Standardized translation of literary terms is an important way to help the world understand China and promote international communication of Chinese culture, which is conducive to the inheritance and interpretation of fine traditional Chinese culture. From the perspective of the "going global" strategy of Chinese culture in the new era, and the existing asymmetry of English translation of Chinese literary terms in international cultural communication, we analyzed the divergence, variation and imposed interpretation of the translations of Chinese literary terms and put forward some suggestions for their standardization. We believe that the translation of Chinese literary terms should adhere to the principle of "localization" in cultural communication and focus on the transmission of Chinese cultural connotation to correct the imposed interpretations of Chinese literature in the West. Standardizing the translations of literary terms will facilitate the communication of "Chinese knowledge" to the world. The paper is expected to provide reference for research on construction and enhancement of discourse system for global communication with Chinese characteristics.

On Prostitutes in American and Chinese Literary Works

The prostitute image is one of the research topics in literary criticism. Prostitutes are the victims of the desire of human beings. Behind the sexual transaction, evil forces that drove poor women into prostitution are concealed. In the following four literary works: The Sun Also Rises, A Street Car Named Desire, The Crescent Moon and Husband, the inner beauty of prostitutes as a wife or a mother is highly praised and the dark side of the contemporary society is exposed. The thesis begins with the depiction of four prostitutes' individual shining points and weaknesses in personality. And then it describes the family backgrounds and social backgrounds the four prostitutes lived in, and states the influence of those backgrounds on them respectively. The thesis finally puts forward the realistic significance.

The Reconstruction of Chinese Literary Theory:Environment and Resources

A common symptom of the blanket coverage of Western literary theory was the way Chinese intellectuals ＂kept harping on Greece,＂ to the neglect of their own literature＇s distinctive features. Even worse were attempts to force Chinese literature into the Procrustean bed of Western literary propositions. How can Chinese literary theory be used more effectively to interpret native literature and culture, or Chinese experience？ How can it throw off Western theoretical models and become a component of the Chinese nation＇s own narrative？ Reconstruction of the discourse system of Chinese literary theory must be a high priority. It is a complex project, one that necessarily entails stepping on to the discourse platform of modernity, accepting various kinds of open dialogue, and thence envisioning a new form of discourse system set amid multilayered overlapping perspectives and even the challenge of different ideas.

Identification of Issues Concerning Contemporary Western Literary Criticism:With Concurrent Reflections on the Reconstruction of Chinese Literary Criticism

While fully affirming the positive influence that contemporary Western literary criticism has exerted on the construction of Chinese literary criticism, it is necessary to exercise discrimination with regard to contemporary Western literary criticism itself, to review its effectiveness when applied to Chinese literary practice, and finally to consider the reconstruction of Chinese literary criticism. Contemporary Western literary criticism has the following major limitations： it is detached from literary practice, interpreting both literary texts and literary experience in the light of the ready-made theories of other disciplines and generalizing them as universal literary rules; its criticism and even demolition of previous theories and methods mean that views with some reasonable elements are carried to extremes; and it uses a fixed one-size-fits-all model of scientism to expound particular texts. Contemporary Western literary criticism grows in the soil of Western culture, which differs from Chinese culture in terms of language, ethics and aesthetics; that determines the limitations of its theoretical application. The basic points for the construction of Chinese literary criticism are as follows： firstly, it should abandon its excessive reliance on foreign theories, and return to Chinese literary practice; secondly, it should uphold our national direction, return to theChinese context, and fully absorb the heritage of traditional Chinese literary criticism; and thirdly, it should understand and handle appropriately the relation between internal and external research and should build a research paradigm for the dialectical unity of the two.

Rethinking the Modern Transformation of Classical Chinese Literary Theory

Though it is not new, the topic of the modem transformation of classical Chinese literary theory still holds profound significance for China＇s current efforts in carrying forward the essence of classical literary theory and constructing a new literary theory that conforms to the spirit of our times. Today, Chinese scholars have to handle two traditions： one is the classical literary scholarship up to the 19th century, distant in time and space from today; the other is the modern tradition that started in the early 20th century. These two traditions involve not only rupture and heterogeneous change but also continuity and partial homogeneous preservation. Taking our stand on the modem and contemporary tradition, we should consciously pursue research on classical literary theory, using modem consciousness to scrutinize, reorder, discover, select, interpret, activate and absorb its finer elements, those that are still vital, so as to creatively promote its modem transformation and further integrate it as an organic component of the construction of modem Chinese literary theory. Over the past two or three decades, Chinese scholars have been advancing this great project in a systematic and solid way, achieving gratifying progress. We must strengthen our efforts and make further progress with this great undertaking.

Han Suyin Wins Chinese Literary Award

IN September 1994, the well-known British writer Han Suyin was awarded China’s "Understanding and Friendship International Prize." Wan Li, Honorary President of the China Literature Foundation, and ex-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, awarded the prize to Han, 78, at the Beijing Diaoyutai State Hotel. This is the second time the award has been given.

On the Development of a Chinese Discourse in Literary Studies Based on Current Practice

There are two mistaken tendencies in the development of a Chinese literary discourse in academia. One is the ＂red dancing shoes＂ phenomenon, where scholars run helter- skelter after the latest developments in Western literary theory; the other is the ＂bound feet＂ phenomenon, where tradition-bound scholars believe that tradition must be kept unchanged and that Chinese literary theory should be cleansed of all alien elements. Neither approach is desirable. Contemporary Chinese literary theory should be grounded in present realities and should distinguish between substance and function. ＂Substance＂ has to consist of China＇s present literary creation and critical practice; only thus can we appropriate Western and traditional Chinese literary theories in the service of today＇s needs, and make the ancient serve the modern and the foreign the Chinese. This will enable us to develop a literary discourse that is both contemporary and Chinese.

The Tragedy of Women Rebels： Figures of Women Rebels in the Literature of Ming and Qing Dynasties

In the volume of Chinese literature of Ming and Qing dynasties, there are a lot of well-known figures of women rebels, who have been highly spoken of by many later critics for their braveness in breaking the conventional and unfair rules made for women in that male-centered society. In the traditional point of view, the appearance of these literary figures marks the awareness of self-consciousness of women. But this paper, by analyzing two of the representative figures of them, Miss Du Liniang （杜丽娘） in Tang Xianzu＇s drama The Peony Pavilion （牡丹亭） and the women in the Women＇s Kingdom （女儿国） in Li Ruzhen＇s novel Flowers in the Mirror （镜花缘）, tries to figure out and distinguish the superficial gender dependence and the real but hidden role of ＂the other＂ in these characters. It purports to convince that such processes of rebellion are none the less women＇s tragedies, for they serve only to show Chinese women＇s unchangeable position of ＂the second sex＂ in the traditional male-centered society of old China, but merely in some new and different ways.

Chinese Tradition in the World Literature:Review of Zhang Longxi's A Historyof ChineseLiterature

This essay reviews Zhang Longxi's A History of Chinese Literature.The book covers Chinese literature from its very beginning to modern times.It emphasizes texts'literary and aesthetic qualities when evaluating and historicizing literature.The book demonstrates the importance of canons in literary history,using Chinese tradition as an example.Therefore,it also brings the Chinese tradition into the broader framework of world literature.Reading Zhang's concise historical overview of Chinese literature,we can better understand the interplay between literary tradition and the individual talent.Zhang Longxi has skillfully combined the writing of a history of literature with literary criticism in this book.Zhang's successful attempt informs literary scholars of possible paradigms of compiling literary history in a post-cultural-studies theoretical context.