Journal of Research on Chinese Manuscripts Outside China (Issue 1)

Author: Zhang Bowei
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-05-01
Features: This annual journal is primarily focused on academic research, featuring scholarly articles and book reviews on language, literature, history, religion, and philosophical studies from Chinese literature outside China. The essays in this volume mainly concern the study of Chinese literature in Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and other regions, holding significant academic and research value. Over four hundred years ago, when the Vietnamese envoy Feng Kuean attended the Emperor Wanli's birthday celebration in the capital, he exchanged poetic verses with the Korean envoy Li Muguang, saying: "Though our mountains and seas differ, our roots are in the same sacred texts of sages." More than a century later, during the Kangxi era, the Vietnamese envoy Ruan Gonghao was sent to China and met the Korean envoy again in Yanjing, presenting another poem that read: "Both uphold the rites of the Zhou dynasty in demeanor, both follow the teachings of Confucius in learning." These widely circulated poems in Vietnam and Korea express and represent the shared identity of scholars in East Asia toward the Chinese culture they all cherished. In fact, before the 20th century, Chinese characters were the common writing system in East Asian countries. All formal writings, significant occasions, and both governmental and civil diplomatic exchanges relied on Chinese characters as the medium. As the old saying goes, "When Cangjie invented writing, heaven rained millet and ghosts wept at night." Who can say that the emergence of Chinese characters was not a momentous event in the history of human civilization? The term "Chinese literature outside China"—various documents written in Chinese characters and preserved in Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and other regions—is the very epitome of this. Studying Chinese literature outside China has become a new trend in international academia in the past two decades. From an academic perspective, the significance of this emerging field lies in its ability to broaden the horizons of Chinese culture scholars, provide a holistic understanding of historical Chinese classics, and thereby enhance related disciplines such as the study of Chinese language and literature, traditional Chinese thought, East Asian history, and the history of Sino-foreign exchanges. It is precisely to promote the development of this field in China, to facilitate the exchange of research insights among scholars both at home and abroad, that we founded the Journal of Chinese Literature Outside China. The journal is guided by the following principles: it upholds rigor and pragmatism while rejecting; it values both learning and critical thinking while avoiding the separation of theory and practice; it advocates for diverse approaches while avoiding rigidity and narrow-mindedness. In short, it emphasizes research grounded in textual studies, embraces various methodologies without being confined by any specific approach or conclusion. In the field of Chinese literature outside China, while new materials will undoubtedly be discovered, the journal places greater emphasis on excavation, striving to elucidate the significance of Chinese culture from multiple perspectives. "To meet friends through literature and to support benevolence through friendship" is its ultimate goal. In Chinese academia, the study of Chinese literature outside China is a vast field yet to be fully cultivated. Its richness and depth call upon all scholars with the passion and wisdom to contribute to its development. The journal aspires to grow alongside such dedicated scholars.