ZHANG Xudong. China and the West： Methodologies for Comparison[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2024, 7(4): 54-66. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20247403
Citation:
ZHANG Xudong. China and the West： Methodologies for Comparison[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2024, 7(4): 54-66. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20247403
ZHANG Xudong. China and the West： Methodologies for Comparison[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2024, 7(4): 54-66. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20247403
Citation:
ZHANG Xudong. China and the West： Methodologies for Comparison[J]. International Comparative Literature, 2024, 7(4): 54-66. doi: 10.19857/j.cnki.ICL.20247403
Xudong Zhang is Professor of Comparative Literature and East Asian Studies at NYU. He is the founding director of the International Center for Critical Theory （ICCT）， which co-organizes the Winter Institute series with University of Tokyo， Australian National University， and University of Bonn， Germany. He has published widely on critical theory and transcultural comparisons of Chinese and European modernities. Some of his best-known works include a five-volume anthology of his scholarly articles published with Shanghai People’s Publishing House （2020-2021）， the five volumes being The Order of Imagination： Critical Theories and the Discourse of Contemporary Chinese Literature， Toward A Critical Literary History： Modernity and Formal Consciousness， Cultural Identity in the Age of Globalization， Cultural Politics and the Chinese Way， and Allegories of Social Landscape： Essays in Film Studies and Film Criticism 1988-2015. He also has a monograph published with Joint Publishing in July 2023， namely The Becoming Conscious of Zawen and the Second Birth of Lu Xun Literature， 1924-1927.
In this article， the author examines the complexities of comparing Chinese and Western intellectual and cultural traditions， and argues that traditional methods like“influence”and“parallel”studies fall short in capturing the nuanced differences between these civilizations. He then critiques these older approaches for being limited to superficial comparisons， which often disregards the rich historical， political， and cultural intricacies that shape each tradition. The author suggests that the contemporary task of comparison requires a rethinking of methodologies that account for the dynamic， sometimes conflicting， and evolving identities within both cultures. To this end， he introduces five guiding maxims to construct a more robust comparative framework： focusing on thematic inquiries， establishing shared frames of reference， highlighting dynamic interactions （such as socio-political movements or ideological shifts）， balancing particular cases within universal concepts， and striving for totality in interpretation. These maxims aim to ensure that comparison is not merely academic but grounded in real-world socio-political contexts. By exploring specific themes that resonate across different cultural contexts， the author believes that scholars can illuminate shared human experiences while respecting cultural specificity. A key feature of the proposed methodology of this article is its attention to historical and political forces， which Zhang argues are essential for meaningful comparisons between China and the West. The essay suggests that this framework can reveal how Chinese and Western cultural， intellectual， and political landscapes have shaped—and continue to shape—one another. Ultimately， the article envisions a comparative approach that fosters a deeper understanding of both convergence and divergence， which moves beyond static views of culture to embrace a model that dynamically engages with each tradition's unique complexities and broader implications. This approach， arguably， not only bridges differences but also contributes to a global dialogue of shared human experience.
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