Comparative literature of western hermeneutics

From 65438 to 0998, comparative literature and world literature, as a new discipline, were born in the Chinese Department of China universities and became two disciplines of China language and literature. On the one hand, the combination of disciplines has doubled the number of people engaged in comparative literature research and improved the status of comparative literature; On the other hand, it also brings a lot of troubles to comparative literature and foreign literature, and inspires many scholars to think and discuss. In 2000, the magazine Foreign Literature Research was founded. Seminar on discipline construction? Column, right? Comparative literature and world literature? Related issues of the discipline were discussed? ; In 2002, during the seventh annual meeting of China Foreign Literature Society, several scholars discussed? Discipline construction and teaching research? Held a discussion; In 2003, the second world? Peking University-Fudan Academic Forum on Comparative Literature? In-depth discussion is made on the problems brought about by the combination of disciplines [3]; In 2004, at the first high-level forum on comparative literature in China, scholars continued to discuss this topic. Academic circles have different views on the merger of disciplines: some scholars agree with the merger, but think that comparative literature and foreign literature are two different disciplines; Some scholars think that foreign literature is comparative literature, while others worry about the problems brought about by merger.

In the final analysis, the ambiguous disciplinary boundary, chaotic teaching and low quality of learning skills brought about by the merger of disciplines are determined by the disciplinary orientation and identity. Comparative literature and world literature (formerly foreign literature) live under the same roof. How to define and divide their respective identities and territories? Will the complicated relationship between the two lead to mutual melting or even the same? The key to solve these problems lies in whether comparative literature and foreign literature can be distinguished theoretically. This paper will introduce the concept of pre-structure in philosophical hermeneutics, define the identity of comparative literature and foreign literature, and further explore how comparative literature research parted ways with foreign literature at first and how to develop itself step by step in the fusion of horizons from the perspective of hermeneutics.

First of all, the significance of pre-structure to hermeneutics

Traditional hermeneutics is represented by schleiermacher and Dilthey, who believe that understanding is reconstruction, which is the way for the interpreter to reach the author through this article. ? For Dilthey, this article is the expression of the author's thoughts and intentions; Interpreters must bring themselves back into the author's field of vision in order to revitalize their creative activities. ? [9] This idea is based on the psychological isomorphism between the interpreter and the author. People have the same heart, and the heart has the same reason? We can not only understand the significance of this paper, but also understand the goal pursued by hermeneutics.

Heidegger introduced the pre-structure into understanding activities, which really changed hermeneutics.

In his view, the explanation never started with a blank sheet of paper, nor did it take place in a vacuum. Explain everything that has been pointed out before? First of all? Structurally. Any explanation that helps to understand has already understood what needs to be explained. ? [10] Heidegger said that understanding of things precedes explanation? First? ; What is the first reading angle or direction? Look first? ; Call it a pre-conceptual grasp of things? Hold it for a second, okay . Preceding, foresight and mastery constitute the pre-structure or pre-structure of understanding. [1 1] Gadamer further opened the space of philosophical hermeneutics. In his view, hermeneutics is not only a methodological problem of humanism, nor is it a subjective and conscious activity of the subject to know the object, but a basic existence activity of human beings. The process of cognition is the process that the world unfolds to mankind. ? Interpretation begins with pre-grasping, which can be replaced by more appropriate grasping; It is this ongoing new planning process that constitutes a meaningful movement of understanding and explanation. ? [12] It is in the constant understanding of the world that human beings reveal the possibility of their own existence. Gadamer's hermeneutics theory? From philosophy as the central source, it quickly spread to literary criticism, aesthetics, law, history, theology, political science, sociology, and even the history of science, and spread from the European continent to America and the East, setting off a worldwide academic trend. ? [13] If we compare the differences between literature and foreign literature from the perspective of hermeneutics, we may have a new understanding of the problem.

Second, traditional concepts and the pre-structure of comparative literature

Comparative literature and foreign literature belong to two different disciplines. What is the basis of comparative literature? Cross civilization? And then what? Intercultural? what's up Cultural context? Research on the interaction of world civilization and the occurrence of culture and literature based on the comparative thinking between China and the West. [14] and then what? World literature (foreign literature) can't be an independent subject, it can only be implemented in specific national and racial literature, such as? American literature? 、? English literature? 、? Russian literature? Wait a minute. ? However, behind the seemingly obvious differences, there are pitfalls and misunderstandings.

Mr. Nie Zhaozhen thinks? No matter from the definition, development history, curriculum and teaching materials, foreign literature is essentially comparative literature. . [16] What is the most basic feature of China's foreign literature? Put many countries together for comparative study? . This view is worth discussing. Undeniably, some foreign literature studies put many countries together for comparative study. As far as the textbooks of foreign literature history are concerned, Zhang Yushu's Introduction to the History of European and American Literature in the Twentieth Century examines the influence of political, economic and other factors on the trend of European literature and the interaction of literature in various countries [17]. This kind of research does have the nature of comparative literature. However, there are still many studies in foreign literature that are not leaps and bounds. Taking foreign literature as comparative literature will delimit a large territory of foreign literature and make it lose its ownership. In the first half of 2003, the Index of Foreign Literature Research Articles of Major Newspapers in China compiled by Information Section of Institute of Foreign Literature of China Academy of Social Sciences classified foreign literature research articles into four categories: literary theory, comparative literature, general introduction and national literature. Among them, there are 44 literary theories, 26 comparative literature, general theory 12, and national literature 9 1. [18] As can be seen from the above data, literary theory and national literature occupy a large proportion in foreign literature research, but these studies are not as Mr. Nie said? Compare many countries together? . There is no doubt that the study of foreign literature overlaps with comparative literature, but it is obviously blind to see only this part. Corresponding to leap-forward comparative literature, foreign literature should focus on single national literature.

However, another question looms: Since comparative literature is a leap, is it a leap for China people to learn foreign literature? Does this leap determine that foreign literature is comparative literature? The idea is based on hermeneutics. China's traditional culture is our historical existence, and China people must have a pre-structure different from other cultures. In the process of reading this paper, the former structure is bound to play a role, which is a blend and dialogue between different cultures. Dialogue and contact between different nationalities, countries and languages are the characteristics of comparative literature, so the study of foreign literature by China people must belong to the category of comparative literature.

This view is very doubtful. The irrationality first lies in the understanding of traditional concepts. Is traditional culture unchangeable, just a self-sustaining existence? The answer is obviously no, tradition is constantly changing. As Gadamer said:? Even the most authentic and powerful tradition is not naturally realized because of the inertia of things that existed before, but needs to be affirmed, mastered and cultivated. Tradition, by its nature, is preservation, although it is active in all historical changes. ? China's traditional culture is one of the most intact in the world. But in modern times, due to the impact of modernity, China's traditional culture began to be destroyed. During the May 4th Movement, traditional culture was impacted by near-historical nihilism, which lasted until the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC) and reached its climax in the ""period. Under the influence of vulgar social evolution theory, tradition has been mercilessly abandoned, and western modern rationality is dominant. ? An important feature of this cultural period is that the * * * time axis and the diachronic axis of cultural development are seriously tilted and unbalanced, and the diachronic axis is shrinking, and the * * * time axis is dominant. The contraction of diachronic axis leads to the loss of historical depth. Once the historical depth is eliminated, what remains is the accumulation and splicing of many planes. ? [20] At present, our world outlook, values, understanding of people and attitude towards science are closer to western modernity than traditional culture. In addition, the paper on which traditional culture depends is written in classical Chinese, which is far from spoken English, which further increases the gap between tradition and us. How much proportion can traditional culture occupy in our pre-interpretation structure? Yan Fu, nourished by traditional culture since childhood, will naturally use the pre-structure of traditional culture to understand foreign articles. American scholar Harz said in the preface of Schwartz's book Seeking Prosperity: Yan Fu and the West. Yan Fu suddenly discovered and grasped the ideas expounded in these European works from the standpoint of China culture, which has not been modernized? Collective ability? This theme. ? [2 1] But Yan Fu is not limited to observing the West. He has been trying to find the consistency between Chinese and Western thoughts. His efforts may be in? With a teaching method, it aims to explain strange things with familiar words and suspicious novelty with respectable ancient classics? , or? Proud of the wisdom of our country? , but what about him? Do you really feel the similarities between the two cultures? . [22] Lin Shu also? China traditional literati literature, specifically, Shi Chuan and Tang and Song ancient prose? Did you understand before? Looking for aesthetic fit in western novels? [23]。 He used ancient prose to contrast western novels and praised the Record of a Black Slave Calling Heaven? Enlightening the senses, feeling the pulse, catching bamboo shoots and acupoints are all related to the ancient teachings of China. We can see that there are both differences and similarities between Chinese and western laws. ? [24] It can be seen that although Yan and Lin have no intention to make a comparative study, their deep understanding of the traditional culture in the former structure makes them consciously or unconsciously put western culture in their own traditions when facing each other. Their accurate capture of the intersection of China and the West reflects the communication of human spirit, which is also one of the purposes and tasks of comparative literature. However, can there be a strict and forest-like structure at present? The knowledge of traditional culture can be retained, but our way of thinking has changed greatly, which can greatly improve productivity and thus greatly change the modernization of the world. The three major ideologies in modern China, namely, the historical view of ideological evolution, nationalism and socialism, were not produced in this country. Although the dichotomy between tradition and modernity is not desirable, China people's acceptance and understanding of the above ideology is also local. Incorporate traditional factors? But the traditional factors of integration have? Not easy to identify? [25]。 China's modernity is different from western modernity, but it is a variant of western modernity ideology, which is beyond doubt. In this case, do we still have confidence that China people's study of foreign literature is an exchange of different cultures and belongs to the category of comparative literature? Understanding must be carried out in the former structure. ? Interpreters do not need to abandon their inner preconceptions and directly contact this article, but should clearly examine the legitimacy of all their inner preconceptions, that is, their roots and effectiveness. ? [26] As far as the discipline of comparative literature is concerned, it is more important to examine the roots and effectiveness of the former structure. Before explaining foreign articles, we need to explain tradition, make clear the proportion of tradition in the former structure, examine its variation in the modern context, and the possible significance and role of this variation in the interpretation of this article. Therefore, we need to further strengthen the inheritance and education of traditional culture. Although we can't go back to tradition, we can observe the traditional way of thinking, find the lost self and look back at ourselves through traditional classics in the historical existence of self. Perhaps only in this way can comparative literature researchers use the relatively preserved traditional pre-structure to have a dialogue with foreign articles.

However, does the proper pre-structure of foreign literature research conducted by China people necessarily mean comparative literature? In order to make a proper explanation of this problem, it is necessary to examine the way in which the former structure plays a role in interpretation. The real difference between comparative literature and foreign literature lies in the investigation of the pre-structure mode.

Third, the integration of vision and disciplinary boundaries.

The former structure will play a role in interpretation at two levels. The first level is the immediate response to this article, which is preliminary, immature and perhaps subconscious. For example, constrained by the traditional pre-structure, China readers may think that foreign novels are too long, their psychological descriptions are too complicated, or their narrative structure is unreasonable, or it is difficult to understand the behavior based on religious emotions. This situation is particularly obvious when foreign novels have just entered China. Lin Shu said in his translation of "The Record of Black Slaves Calling Heaven". It's a book that teaches many things, but it's a bit tedious to learn the original text after Wei Jun's holiday. ? [27] Fu Donghua also said when translating Gone with the Wind. There are also some lengthy descriptions and psychological analysis, which have little to do with the development of the plot and will make readers tired of reading it? , ? I will honestly and rudely abridge the whole paragraph. ? [28] The interpreter's reaction is determined by the traditional factors in its pre-structure, but this interpretation can't realize the real fusion of horizons. Jauss pointed out three cross-horizon experiences: the first one is? Sense of estrangement? ,? Can you make people feel a kind of rejection? ; What is the second one? Temptation? ,? Want to expose yourself to new things and take risks? ; What is the third experience? Did you find it? ,? The longing for others may become a connection between them? . The first two experiences? It just crosses the horizon on the surface: if someone still holds his horizon, still wants to keep it, or just expresses surprise at the unfamiliar horizon and doesn't want to be in it, then he can't understand it, and he can't get different experiences from different horizons. ? [29] The first two experiences cited by Yao are a direct response to this article. This preliminary and subconscious interpretation experience can not bring meaningful literary research.

In order to really think about the world of this article and achieve the third experience, we must make the former structure play a role in the second level, that is, consciously use and mobilize the former structure to have a dialogue with this article. In the conversation, the front-end structure will appear from the dormant state. The front structure is not monolithic, but a partition board composed of different contents. The tradition in China's pre-structural composition is no longer an unchangeable tradition, and the western culture is by no means the original western culture, but their basic features are still faintly visible in their mutual blending. Interpreters should choose different contents to talk about this article according to their needs. At this time, the division between comparative literature and foreign literature appeared. If we mainly mobilize the pre-structure of western culture to explain western articles, it obviously does not belong to the category of comparative literature. Only by mobilizing the pre-structure of traditional culture (of course, it is also necessary to mobilize the relevant pre-structure of western culture) to engage in dialogue with western articles is comparative literature research.

? The zone between the strangeness and familiarity of circulating things is the middle zone between the decadent things with historical significance and the subordinate traditions. The real position of hermeneutics lies in this middle zone. ? [30] Gadamer's concern here is the understanding of tradition, but it also applies to cross-cultural understanding. Interpretation takes place between the former structure and this paper, and the transfer of different contents of the former structure determines the direction after leaving the former structure. If we interpret foreign texts from the perspective of the pre-structure of foreign culture, this interpretation is in a vertical zone and belongs to the category of foreign literature. For example, Wang Zuoliang's Evolution of English Prose [3 1] takes plain prose as the main line, combines language analysis and literary interpretation, investigates the development and evolution of English prose, and reveals the essential characteristics of prose. This is mainly based on the pre-structure of English literature to explain English literature. Comparative literature existed in the horizontal zone between understanding and foreign culture before its own spread. If the explanation in this article is regarded as an adventure with the former structure, different equipment and directions will decide to step into different fields, thus bringing different experience integration. Comparative literature and foreign literature are determined by the direction choice of the starter when starting.

How to start a dialogue with others after stepping into the horizontal zone of comparative literature? What is the relationship between the former structure and other texts? Gadamer pointed out? The most important condition in all hermeneutics is always pre-understanding, which comes from the existence associated with the same thing. ? Traditionally, there must be an explanation of what others are concerned about in this article, and we must understand this thing before understanding other people's articles.

This kind of relevance is the platform and foundation of the dialogue between literature and culture. As a comparative literature scholar of the older generation in China, Mr. Qian Zhongshu's masterpiece "The Tube Cone" was called by the professor. The immortal cornerstone of China's comparative literature? ,? Should it be a compulsory textbook for students in any direction of comparative literature? . [33] Let's take a look at how Mr. Qian built a platform for dialogue in his interpretation. On Laozi's opening remarks? Truth can be known, but it is not necessarily a well-known truth. Famous, very famous? In the first section, Mr. Qian first inspected the traditional right? Tao? ,? Name? , mainly? Name? Explanation:? Name? For what? Name? . Objection? Name? And then what? Words? Different merits and interests? After that, further argument? Can it be a famous name? This paper lists the views of a large number of Chinese and foreign people, including Liu Yuxi, Tao Qian, Liu Xie, Huang Tingjian, Hegel, Nietzsche, Spinoza, Hobbes, Bentham, Dante and Goethe, on the gap between language and what it refers to. He went on to quote ancient Greek? Tao? At the same time Why? (Than) What else? Words? (oratio) two meanings? , Heidegger said? Man is a rational animal? What was the original intention? People are talking animals? To explain? Tao? Point out the sentence? First of all, with reason? Tao? , pun intended? Tao? What is truth and what is truth? Name? And, therefore? Famous? 、? Unknown? Put up with both. ? At this point, the first sentence of Laozi has been perfectly explained. He finally quoted Plato? It has long been said that the word and the word are poor, so it is unbearable and the name is very different. , to? Translate Laozi? . [34] Mr. Qian Zhongshu's research reveals how to build a platform for dialogue between China and the West, that is, to find between the traditional pre-structure and other people's texts. Association exists? And further carry out dialogue on the platform to realize the real blending of cultures. The last link, which is also a very important link, is what kind of method to adopt for research. Of course, China people's study of foreign literature is not comparative literature, nor is it true comparative literature to compare different literature and cultures at will. Professor Xie Tianzhen criticized the research mode of x+y ten years ago [35]. American comparative literature scholar Yu Wensuan also pointed out? When I read and interpret a Chinese poem or an English poem in their respective literary and historical backgrounds, I often learn something. But at the same time, I also found that when I read an article comparing China's poetry with English poetry (or other European poetry), I often get nothing from either tradition. ? Is Bi Ru called Li Bai? Romantic poet? And compared with Wordsworth, Byron and others, which makes? Romantic? Become a general-purpose product and give up? Special historical context? . ? This comparative literature tells us nothing. ? [36] Hermeneutic experience is a kind of dialogue, and dialogue has the form of question-and-answer logic. ? To understand an idea is to understand it as an answer to a question. ? [37] The other text becomes the object of understanding, which means that it poses a question to the interpreter, and the answer lies in the other text. The question raised by others in this article is a challenge. In order to meet this challenge, we must reconstruct the problems raised in this paper in our own vision. The answer to the reconstruction problem cannot stay in the field of vision of foreign articles, but must be the field of vision of the interpreter. ? Asking questions opens up various possibilities of meaning and allows meaningful things to enter their own opinions. ? [38] Bringing meaningful things into your own horizon is horizon fusion. The process of reconstructing the problem is the process of breaking through two horizons and producing a new and larger horizon. The emergence of this new vision is the goal pursued by comparative literature.

Four. conclusion

Now, we can try to define the next hermeneutic meaning of comparative literature, namely? Make full use of the pre-structure of one's own culture to interpret and explain the research work of other countries' literature. ? This definition first distinguishes comparative literature from foreign literature. In the study of foreign literature, understanding refers to the pre-structure of foreign literature and culture, while comparative literature refers to the dialogue between one's own tradition and others. Secondly, this definition puts forward the basic requirements for the staff engaged in comparative literature research: constantly enrich and improve their pre-understanding structure. With the pre-structure of different backgrounds, it is possible to build a platform for communication in the process of interpretation, and further stimulate the possibility of researchers exploring various meanings. Finally, within the discipline of comparative literature, or those who have been trained in comparative literature, they must know and reflect on their own antecedents in contact with each other's texts, open themselves up and let each other's texts be expressed in our antecedents or existence, so as to find the possibility of understanding in the endless fusion of horizons with the continuous advancement of question-and-answer logic. The goal of comparative literature is to plan the meaning of human existence.