Literature and Culture: Three Essays

Author: Deng Xiaomang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: This book collects three related pamphlets published over the past decade by the author, namely: The Dance of the Spirit (1995), The Mirror of Humanity (1996), and The Journey of the Soul (1998). These small books have long been out of print since their publication but have never been reissued. My primary field of study is Western philosophy, specializing in German classical philosophy. However, these three books delve into a wide range of literary and cultural critiques, spanning fields such as philosophy, theology, ethics, aesthetics, psychology, comparative studies of Chinese and Western cultures, and cultural history, and engage with numerous literary works from ancient and modern times. From a professional perspective, this might be considered "not sticking to one's main field." But attentive readers may notice that my literary and cultural critiques are, at their core, philosophical critiques, deeply connected to the works of Kant, Hegel, Marx, and Husserl that I study. In fact, when people are surprised that a scholar of Western philosophy like me immerses himself in the literary field, it is likely due to a fundamental misunderstanding. Strictly speaking, I was not initially interested in philosophy (let alone Western philosophy). Rather, what sparked my desire to read was literature. My interest in literature stems from my early life, marked by turbulent idealism, where literature served as my textbook for life. Even when I finally decided to read philosophical works, literature and life became the touchstones for evaluating my reading.
Looking back thirty years ago, I read everything I could get my hands on! Due to the scarcity of books available, my reading had to be broad, leaving little room for deep specialization in any one field. Yet, I read each book thoroughly. I remember walking across the entire city to visit a friend just to borrow or return a book. But later, as books became more abundant, filling lifetimes could not suffice, yet I rarely had the time to sit down and read. I immersed myself in my German classical philosophy specialization, but I never forgot my personal and literary experiences, using them to gain a deeper understanding of the minds of thinkers like Kant and Hegel. Fortunately, these German philosophers were also deeply immersed in life experiences, often resonating with my own. I sometimes wonder if I had studied (Western philosophy), I might not have been so fortunate. For example, while Bertrand Russell also had rich life experiences, they had little to do with his logical positivism or linguistic philosophy. Studying such philosophy would have been a torment. Although most people would think reading Kant and Hegel is more tormenting, in reality, it is a source of life-enhancing joy.
Now, when I read literary works from ancient and modern times with the resonance and reinforcement of life experiences gained from German philosophers, I almost suddenly realize the advantageous position I occupy in this field. A work becomes "transparent" under the lens of philosophy, revealing its internal structure of thought and the path of its soul so clearly. The contradictions and dilemmas it encounters, in turn, promote philosophical reflection. What is most important is that what was once merely felt can now be clearly expressed in language.
My current feeling is like that of years ago in the dark, unlit room of a youth labor camp, reading novels by the faint glow of the stove and discussing the characters with a couple of fellow (youth laborers). We talked about those characters as if they were real companions around us, critiquing and analyzing them to hone our skills in "understanding people" and gain wisdom from life. I know, this differs greatly from the commonly understood "literary criticism" and even more so from the now-popular, formulaic literary criticism articles. Today, literary criticism rarely discusses the ideas or characters in a work; instead, people focus on language style, creative techniques, structure, textual archetypes, genre classification, thematic origins, regional characteristics, and social functions. From their perspective, my critiques might not qualify as authentic literary criticism at all, perhaps only as thoughts on the ideas of literary characters, or even as discussions of my own thoughts under the guise of literary figures.
It is well known that the characters in literary works are entirely fictional creations of the author. The author can write them this way or that way, so to critique these characters as if they were real people would be foolish. Indeed, Chinese people have always been very adept at such matters, and literary critics in particular are especially so—they never fall into the traps set by writers. They are far cleverer than writers; they never "dance with wolves" but are skilled at making cages for them.
However, no matter what, as someone who has had some personal experiences with life, I have expressed my feelings about the works. When I treat the characters in a work as real people, I simultaneously see myself as a character in the work, even as the protagonist. Whether they are admirable, lovable, pitiful, hateful, pitiable, or contemptible, I sympathize with them, just as the author sympathizes with his characters. I put myself in the author's shoes, trying to understand the emotions behind his creative process. In truth, a real writer cannot simply invent characters; there is no room for pretense in such matters, and even the slightest discrepancy would be detected by sensitive readers. Readers often feel that the characters created by successful writers are "more real" than real people, so critiques of these characters are more valuable than critiques of real individuals.
Discussing these literary characters, identifying their modes of existence and thought, touching their limits, and distinguishing their personalities—these all expand the depth and breadth of human nature. Is it not precisely in this way that a writer helps readers? Conversely, whether a writer's creations are worth discussing is a key indicator of his success (if not the only one). This standard also applies to writers who may not have "characters" or "plots," such as those who write essays or poetry, where the author himself is the character.
Beyond the philosophical critique of literary works, another important dimension of this book is cultural criticism and cultural comparison, particularly the comparison of Chinese and Western cultures. These two dimensions are often intertwined, but cultural comparison is deeper than literary criticism. Even when discussing Chinese literature, cultural comparison provides the background vision and deeper foundation for literary criticism, as it often requires direct engagement with the representative philosophical ideas and religious beliefs of various cultural traditions.
Humanity is diverse, hence the diversity of cultures, but it is not the "diversity" (implying incomprehensibility) that some people advocate. Rather, there is a unified humanity that allows for mutual understanding. However, this unity and commensurability are not given facts but goals that require effort to achieve. If people lack the desire for mutual communication, then humanity across different cultural traditions will be as unrelated as two different species, regardless of whether they coexist or are adversaries, they will be unable to understand each other.
But how to communicate? Simply saying "we are all good" or "what you say is what I have already said" is not true communication; it may even hide linguistic traps, resulting in superficial harmony. True communication exists in "dialogue," and true dialogue is without preconceived notions (otherwise, it remains monologue). It is a clash and collision of minds, where differences emerge and are recognized through the free expression of both parties.
The differences between Chinese and Western cultures are vast, to the point that one could say they are two entirely different cultures on this planet, almost opposites in every important aspect. But precisely because of this, the comparison of Chinese and Western cultures is the most valuable cultural comparison among all comparisons. It can spark clashes and collisions of thought, and it can prompt us to view ourselves and develop our cultural self-awareness from another perspective, just as a mirror image, though inverted, is an indispensable reference for self-awareness.
Of course, my cultural comparisons and literary critiques, like my literary critiques, are rooted in my own life experiences. Without such experiences, I could not find standards to evaluate foreign cultures, nor could I gain the motivation to compare my own culture with others. The driving force behind cultural comparison comes from dissatisfaction and helplessness with the cultural atmosphere I inhabit, and this dissatisfaction and helplessness stem from the oppression in my real life and the lack of spiritual ( means "way out" or "avenue"). In pain, if one does not deceive oneself, one must look outward for a breakthrough.
In Chinese culture, I have not lacked resources or methods for self-consolation, but the spirit of reflection instilled in me by Lu Xun was too profound. It was he who made me unable to tolerate self-deception and who showed me that beyond Chinese culture lay a wonderful world that could serve as a mirror to reflect our spiritual world (what is called "national character").
I remember a few years ago, when I discussed Lu Xun with Mr. Wang Furén in Beijing, we each used a single word to summarize the spirit of Lu Xun. He used the word "" (rebellion), while I used "" (reflection). In truth, reflection is also a form of rebellion, but I still believe that reflection is more important, as it can expose the root of what is being rebelled against, thus ending the cycle.
The Cultural Revolution is a lingering wound for the Chinese nation for at least the next hundred years. It more thoroughly exposed the flaws of Chinese culture and the human nature of the Chinese people than any other event. It is a purgatory that our cultural reflection must constantly revisit, as well as an invaluable textbook for learning cultural reflection.
Our generation, as participants and survivors of the Cultural Revolution, has a responsibility to elevate our experiences to the level of theory and philosophy, rather than remaining stuck in nostalgia and sighing. In this way, we may cultivate a new type of personality that is firm and capable of bearing the mission of our times, opening up a hopeful future for our nation. This is the foundation of these writings, and in fact, the foundation of all my academic research.