Footnote, Reference and Theory: On “China” in Western Theories

Scholars have extensively researched the influence of Western literary theory on China; however, the impact of Chinese culture on Western literary theory remains underexplored. Among various 20th-century theoretical schools, postcolonial theory has engaged with China most frequently and profoundly. China has played a significant role in this field, serving both as an object of study and a methodological reference. This raises key questions: How has Chinese culture been preserved, transformed and evolved within postcolonial theory, and what functions has it performed? What theoretical journeys and processes of reception has it undergone? This article addresses these questions in three parts. First, it categorizes the multiple representations of “China-related issues” in postcolonial theory into three models: China as a footnote, China as a frame of reference and China as a source of thought. Second, it maps the theoretical coordinates of these diverse representations and reflects on the differing cultural positions and theoretical backgrounds of various theorists. Third, it examines the significance of the Chinese perspective for a bidirectional theoretical journey, arguing that viewing “Western theory” through the lens of “China-related issues” has provided Chinese scholars with a fundamentally new theoretical horizon.