Discovery of the East

Author: Wang Yuanchuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-12-01
Features: In the era when mass media has become the center of discourse, how should intellectuals speak? In this age of conflict turning into dialogue between the East and the West, how should Chinese scholars learn to engage in pluralistic dialogue with Western centrism? In the age of rampant consumerism, how should individual intellectuals present their distinct thoughts and responsibilities from others? For Chinese intellectuals in the new century, this chain of questions cannot be taken lightly. I remember in the autumn of 2001, French philosopher Jacques Derrida came to Peking University’s Department of Philosophy to engage in dialogue with Chinese scholars on several cutting-edge academic issues. I posed a few questions to Professor Derrida:
"What is the relationship between 'forgiveness' and 'resentment'? Is unconditional, absolute forgiveness possible?"
"As Chinese literature and philosophy in the Third World become marginalized in the discourse system as the European center, what cultural strategies should be employed to deconstruct Western centrism? Is such deconstruction possible?"
"Is deconstruction absolute? Is absolute deconstruction possible? Moreover, in contemporary China’s discussions about reconstruction after deconstruction, is construction possible? What is the relationship between deconstruction and construction? Are they opposites? Is there a third possibility?"
Derrida’s response was to dismantle Western centrism and Eurocentrism, so that China would no longer be the marginalized periphery of the European center. However, it should not become "Chinese centrism." What he hoped for was the establishment of a new concept of "humanity" on a global philosophical scale. Deconstruction is not destruction, not criticism; deconstruction is not negation but affirmation—affirmation of the impossible. Derrida’s response actually diverged from his original interpretation of "deconstruction" as destructive and critical, indicating that his shifting stance in the answer carried a certain discourse strategy. Perhaps "deconstruction" is inherently a continuously sliding discourse practice.