The Death And The Revival Of The Author,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The Death And The Revival Of The Author, Hajdu Péter
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The most influential trends in 20th-century literary criticism and theory of literature can be described as revolting against a both Romantic and positivist approach which focused on the person of the author rather than his or her literary product. Formalism, New Criticism, structuralism and post-structuralism denied any importance of the biographical author, and dealt with texts exclusively. After the Barthesian formulation of the death of the author (applauded by towering figures like Foucault or Derrida) the end of the 20th and even more the beginning of the 21st centuries have brought back the importance of the author. For some new …
The History Of Art Field: An Open And Neutral Art History,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The History Of Art Field: An Open And Neutral Art History, Huizhe Zhang
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
As a tradition, art history focuses on the creation and generation of artworks, but the evolution of art requires the writing of its history to be open, neutral and comprehensive. By referring to the definitions of art from the perspective of analytic aesthetics and relating to Bourdieu’s theorization of art field and analysis of autonomation, this paper tries to conceive a history of arts field through placing the relational elements concerning art and artworks into the inner and outer art field. The paper maintains that the history of art field may open up the genesis and future as well as …
The Knowledge Generation Of Theory And The Inner Logic Of Chinese Literary Theory,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The Knowledge Generation Of Theory And The Inner Logic Of Chinese Literary Theory, Hongqi Yang
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The generation of the knowledge of theory refers to both the theory itself as academic knowledge and the theory as knowledge-generating academic discourse. Theory as knowledge is generated in the process of border crossing between discipline, language and culture, while knowledge-generating theory starts with literature, is established in culture and bears fruits in post-modernity. In this context, the knowledge construction of Chinese literary theory follows the trajectory from theory in Chinese to Chinese theory.
The Theoretical Reflection On The Problem Of Literary Ontology: A Case Study Of Qian Zhongwen's Literary Theory: Explorations And Reflections,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The Theoretical Reflection On The Problem Of Literary Ontology: A Case Study Of Qian Zhongwen's Literary Theory: Explorations And Reflections, Zhixiang Qi
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
This paper takes Qian Zhongwen's book Literary Theory: Explorations and Reflections as its research subject, and surveys his reflections and debates since the turn of the century on some important issues in literary ontology. The issues include: Dose literature have its own "essence"? Does anti-essentialism mean the cancellation of research on "essence"? If the research on literary "essence" cannot be cancelled, what is the "essence" of literature? How can we evaluate the expansion of the bounders of the literature and literary theory after deconstruction? How to put into the perspective the alarming claims of "the end of literature" and "the …
The Transformation Of Urban Writing In Modern Fictions And Its Significance Of Fiction History: With A Focus On Shanghai And Guangzhou,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The Transformation Of Urban Writing In Modern Fictions And Its Significance Of Fiction History: With A Focus On Shanghai And Guangzhou, Daqing Deng, Xun Sun
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
After the forced opening of such cities as Shanghai and Guangzhou for international trade, the traditional modes of culture in these cities were changed. Fiction, as one important literary genre closely associated with urbanity, also underwent transformations in terms of the urban writing in China. In modern Chinese fictions, the space of urban writing was continuously extended, with the descriptive focus shifting from the general coverage of landmark buildings to the detailed exploration of urban life, the protagonists shifting from traditional city dwellers into modern urban citizens, and the narrative form shifting from centering round time to centering round space. …
On Cao Xueqin's Idea Of Stylistics With Reference To The Stylistic Value Of Zhiyanzhai AnnotatedDream Of Red Mansions,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
On Cao Xueqin's Idea Of Stylistics With Reference To The Stylistic Value Of Zhiyanzhai AnnotatedDream Of Red Mansions, Jingze Ren
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Cao Xueqin's idea of stylistics is systematic and can be understood in four main ways. The first is analyzing and complying with style. This shows in the two ways to differentiate the style of each literary work and each author. The second is appropriate and inappropriate style. This pair of concepts has rich implications and may be considered as a heritance from Cao Pi's theory of stylistics in the pre-Qin period. The third is the breaking and transforming of style, which shows in the stylistic innovation in such texts as "A Eulogy for the Lotus Girl." The fourth is the …
The Reconstruction Of Chinese Metaphysics,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The Reconstruction Of Chinese Metaphysics, Xushu Zhang
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The immortality of metaphysics originates in its human-attributed nature. The call for the reconstruction of Chinese metaphysics in the contemporary context should be understood as an intrinsic necessity of the modernization of socialism, and it should be taken as a significant component for new Chinese cultural tradition. The constant agency behind the reconstruction of Chinese metaphysics lies in the critical spirits and the courage of innovation of contemporary thinkers. Three major issues in the construction of Chinese metaphysics are the epistemological criticism of metaphysics, the views on a prior reason (a prior form), and the rebuilding of the spiritual homeland …
"New Scholar-Official Community" And Art Theory In The Tang And Song Dynasties,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
"New Scholar-Official Community" And Art Theory In The Tang And Song Dynasties, Qiang Tong
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The prosperity of Chinese culture in the Tang and Song Dynasties also means the maturity of Chinese art. The imperial examination and the civil office selection system result in the rise of a social group called "New Scholar-Official Community" who came to be the main force of artistic creations. The shared a similar background of education and civil service experience, and the similar cultural background cultivated similar artistic tastes. This community influenced the features and trends of artistic creations, as well as the development of art theory. To examine the relationship between art, art theory and New Scholar-Official Community during …
Beauty As An Action Of Art: From The Aspect Of Aesthetics Of Life,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Beauty As An Action Of Art: From The Aspect Of Aesthetics Of Life, Baogui Zhang
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
There are two ideas about the legitimacy of aesthetics as a discipline. Aesthetics of Elimination claims that beauty is an a prior super-concept which, absent of a corresponding super-reality, falls into the abyss of metaphysical essentialism. Hence, aesthetics is not a legitimate discipline. Metaphysical Aesthetics holds that beauty should be interpreted through Kantian purposiveness of aesthetics and claims the legitimacy of the discipline of aesthetics in its ideal-confirming value. This paper argues that metaphysical aesthetics, due to its theoretically self-enclosed nature, cannot allow aesthetic activities to take on realistic transcendent value. Aesthetics of Elimination, however, has its own major problem. …
Cognitive Mapping And The Adventures Of The Postmodern,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Cognitive Mapping And The Adventures Of The Postmodern, Kellner Douglas
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
During the 1980s and 1990s, debates about the differences between modernity and postmodernity as historical epochs; modernism and postmodernism in the arts; and wars between modern and postmodern theory defined key theoretical problematics in intellectualized spaces of the West, like the University. Fredric Jameson was one of the initiators of debates over the postmodern, and introduced the concept of cognitive mapping to describe theoretical accounts of the contemporary moment. I discuss conceptions of theory and mapping in the modern and postmodern debates and sort out appropriate uses of the discourse of the postmodern, and the usefulness of the postmodern turn …
Contemporary Russian Literature And Art Policy And Ideology Reconstruction Against The Revival Of Orthodox Church,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Contemporary Russian Literature And Art Policy And Ideology Reconstruction Against The Revival Of Orthodox Church, Gangjian Tian
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The literature and art policy in Putin's era epitomizes the "New Russian Idea" in the ideological field. To fill the ideological vacuum in the USSR, especially the Yeltsin era, the Russian government passed legislation on laws, education and diplomacy to introduce Orthodox Church into the reconstruction of national ideology. Through the core values of the Orthodox Church implanted into Russian literature and arts such as empire worship, eschatological salvation, community sense, etc, the policy of literature and art in the Putin government has performed important role in integrating societal thought, boosting the national spirit, curbing moral degradation, promoting national identity …
The Track And Off-Track Of Metaphysical Aesthetics: With A Discussion Of "Elimination" Of Elimination Aesthetics,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The Track And Off-Track Of Metaphysical Aesthetics: With A Discussion Of "Elimination" Of Elimination Aesthetics, Feng Wang
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Metaphysical aesthetics appears to be a countercurrent to contemporary aesthetics, but it is actually an effort to find a direction in constructing aesthetic ideals, as a backwash and critique of the unfortunate fact that contemporary aesthetics has ignored metaphysics. From the perspective of aesthetic critique, this may be the right track of metaphysics. However, from the perspective of argumentation systems based on its theoretical resources, it may be conservative and foundationally unstable as it may lead to the establishment of an ideal aesthetics and further point to a setting up of some faith. What the Aesthetics of Elimination tries to …
Three Alternative Forms Of Ancient Chinese Fiction,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Three Alternative Forms Of Ancient Chinese Fiction, Pengfei Li
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The paper proposes an alternative way to categorize ancient Chinese novels in terms of their representation and its effects of social customs, historical background, natural scenes and objects, and it argues for three categories to be the concrete representation, the abstract representation, and the half concrete half abstract representation. This categorization does not take the fundamental elements such as plot, character, and theme to be the criteria, and it may offer a new perspective to examine the artistic characteristics of ancient novels and the authors’ way of thinking.
Three Issues In Art Theory,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Three Issues In Art Theory, Xian Zhou
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Art theory is both a contested concept and vaguely defined field of knowledge. The paper discusses three issues in art theory, trying to interpret art theory and its production of knowledge from different perspectives. First, the paper claims that art theory intermediates between aesthetics and subject theories of arts, and that, through self-criticism, the negative understanding of this intermediacy may be turned into positive construction to promote the development of art theory. Secondly, the paper examines from the perspective of field theory the origin, the institution and the symbolic capital of knowledge producer, and then it investigates the significance of …
Verbal Image And Image-Idea: A Divide Of Semiotic Interpretation Of Poetry,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Verbal Image And Image-Idea: A Divide Of Semiotic Interpretation Of Poetry, Xinshi Li
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
This paper starts from the perspective of semiotic poetics and by introducing the poetic term "verbal image" and re-interpreting the traditional term "yi xiang" (image-idea), it tries to clarify the relationship between language, verbal image and image-idea in poetics. Verbal image and image-idea can be distinguished for the different natures of their symbolic objects. Verbal Image can be divided into physical verbal image and transferred verbal image. The combination of meta-language and connotative signification can illustrate the formation mechanism of verbal image. The difference in language use, aesthetic principle, and the definition of poetry between the modern and the classical …
The Autonomy Of Art And The Justice Of Aesthetics,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The Autonomy Of Art And The Justice Of Aesthetics, Dai Xu
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
To promote aesthetic justice is to re-incorporate contemporary aesthetics into the life world by way of ethnics and to bring out theoretical significance for the present. From the view of logic, the issue of "the autonomy of art" may be argued to be essential for the practice-oriented ethic aesthetics. Different views on this issue may be understood as what Wittgenstein called the misunderstanding of the words, and they do not conceal the essence of the problem and there has no fundamental confliction between these apparently chaotic views. The paper maintains that the investigation of aesthetic justice has to be preceded …
"Benjamin: Existence Toward Space": A Confluence Of Philosophy, Poetics And Messiah: An Interview With Peter Fenves,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
"Benjamin: Existence Toward Space": A Confluence Of Philosophy, Poetics And Messiah: An Interview With Peter Fenves, Sha Li, Fenves Peter
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Walter Benjamin was taken as a post-structuralist and a "left" cultural critic in Chinese academia since his thought was first introduced into China in1980s. To trace back to the origin and formulation of Benjamin's aesthetics, an interview is conducted with Professor Peter Fenves, whose German literary and philosophical researches have been based on his explorations and explanations of Benjamin's "Critique of Violence" (1921). The interview focuses on the source of his thought and its trajectory of development, discussing such philosophers and poets as Kant, Leibniz, Hölderlin, Husserl, Heidegger and Derrida who may have influenced Benjamin. In the interview, Professor Fenves …
Aesthetic Intuition And The Truth Of Art: A Phenomenological Interpretation Of "The End Of Art",
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Aesthetic Intuition And The Truth Of Art: A Phenomenological Interpretation Of "The End Of Art", Hongbin Su, Yusheng Liao
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The end of art as a theoretical claim has been proposed in the Western aesthetics by Plato, Hegel and Arthur Danto. The reason for the repetitive raising of the claim is, the paper argues, that the Western thought is too rooted in the dualism between perception and reason to reach the truth of art. The paper thus proposes the replacement of the perception-reason dualism with the monism of intuition, on the ground that intuition is the original epistemic capacity and the origin of both perception and reason of human beings. Intuition is the capacity to grasp the essence of things, …
Reconstructing The Poetic Appeal Of Contemporary Chinese Prose: A Case Study On Zhao Lihong's Prose,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Reconstructing The Poetic Appeal Of Contemporary Chinese Prose: A Case Study On Zhao Lihong's Prose, Zhouwen Wu
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The paper explores the poetic appeals in Zhao Lihong's 30-year prose writing from the following three perspectives: the positioning of the authenticity of the author's subjecthood, the choice of the approaches to poeticization, and the creation of the narrative form. The existence of these appeals proves that they reveal a problem unresolved for decades in contemporary Chinese prose. Critically inheriting the poetic tradition in May 4th Period and the First 17-Year-Period of Communist China, Zhao Lihong’s prose constructs a poetic discourse of prose aesthetics, which points to a way for the contemporary and the future prose in China.
Sade, Jouissance Of Reason And The Practical Reason Of Evil,
2014
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
Sade, Jouissance Of Reason And The Practical Reason Of Evil, Kailin Yang
Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art
The irreducible goal of Sade's writing does not concern erotism but the Idea, not desire but truth, not history but practice. This paper focuses on the passage from the empirical description to the transcendental idea, from pornography to pornology, or from fiction to truth. The central problem is: what, through his writing, is the enterprise of thought that Sade attempts to build? In Sade, the practical reason of evil is characterized by the experience of limit and the dialectical transformation. The stake of his writing does not, however, pertain to debauchery, crimes, profanation and so forth, as the most essential …
