Introduction to Comparative Literature in East Asia

Author: Zhang Zhejun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Introduction to East Asian Comparative Literature is a groundbreaking textbook in comparative literature and also a highly academic monograph. Unlike the comparative literature textbooks we often see today, it does not broadly introduce or discuss the theoretical foundations of comparative literature. Instead, it specifically examines the aesthetic characteristics of comparative literature in China, Japan, and Korea from both macro and micro perspectives, exploring a new, actionable approach to East Asian comparative literature research. A key feature of this book is its holistic research perspective. Scholars who study the history of literary relations between China and Japan or China and Korea have conducted substantial research on cultural and literary exchanges between these countries. However, until now, no comprehensive study of East Asian literature has been published. Introduction to East Asian Comparative Literature fills this gap in the field. From the perspective of comparative literary and cultural studies among China, Japan, and Korea, the author examines East Asian literature as an important cultural entity within the "East Asian Cultural Circle," offering a high-level exposition and argumentation of key issues in the study of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean literature and culture. This unique research perspective helps us see problems that cannot be discerned through national literature studies or studies of bilateral literary relations.
Regarding the relationship between Taoism and Japanese literature, a bilateral study of literary and cultural relations alone cannot reveal the true underlying connections. Taoism was not directly transmitted from China to Japan but arrived in Japan via Korea in the late 7th century. Korea played an indispensable role as a mediator in this process. Through the study of Taoist legends of the "Three Sacred Mountains" in China, Japan, and Korea, the author examines the emergence and evolution of this imagery from an embryological perspective, significantly enriching and refining research on this concept. Confucianism, too, was transmitted to Japan through Korea rather than directly from China. When Korea adopted Confucianism and Taoist culture, it selectively adapted them to its own needs. The Confucianism and Taoist culture Japan received had already been filtered through Korean culture and could not help but carry the characteristics of Korean culture. The complex "triangular relationship" among China, Japan, and Korea determines that when studying these issues, it is absolutely essential not to overlook the third party and instead conduct relatively simplistic "two-party" studies. This holistic approach effectively avoids the bias that can arise from knowing only one side of a story in comparative East Asian literary studies.