Introduction: Aesthetics Across Borders: Comparing Chinese and Western Literary Theories

This volume explores the evolution of Chinese literary theory within the context of global modernization, challenging the universality of Western aesthetic paradigms. Writing is presented not as a neutral tool but as a culturally embedded vessel for specific worldviews, contrasting the European Romantic emphasis on individual expression with the Chinese tradition of seeking resonance with the cosmic order and moral cultivation. The introduction argues that while modern Chinese literary thought has been profoundly shaped by Western scientific and institutional dominance, Chinese scholars have engaged in a process of “creative transformation” (chuangzaoxing zhuanhua). Rather than passively accepting Western discourse, these scholars utilize indigenous resources, such as the interplay between wen (literature/pattern) and dao (the Way), to construct autonomous theoretical frameworks that resist hegemony and foster bidirectional exchange. The collection addresses the shift in Chinese cosmology from the boundless tianxia (“all under heaven”) to a bounded world of nation-states, examining how translation serves as both a bridge for communication and a battleground for epistemological power. Individual chapters investigate a wide range of topics, beginning with the “world-facing orientation” of modern Chinese literature and the reinterpretation of the Great Preface to the Book of Songs through poststructuralist lenses. The chapters further explore the distinctiveness of Chinese aesthetics, contrasting the “void-substance” thinking pattern with Western substance-based models, and analyzing the “sensation of Qi” in the context of Wugan (sensual experience) versus Western Affectus. Beyond classical reinterpretation, the volume examines gendered authorship in 18th-century tanci fiction and the “lyrical tradition” as a modern theoretical construct that complicates narratives of enlightenment and national salvation. It also investigates the role of China as an “Other” in Western postcolonial theory and the reconstruction of literary canons through cross-cultural translation. Finally, the scope extends to the posthuman era, utilizing the “Chinese Room” thought experiment to debate the aesthetic potential of artificial intelligence and large language models, questioning the necessity of consciousness in artistic creation. Collectively, these works illustrate that the meaning of literature in China evolves through a continuous, dynamic negotiation among tradition, modernity, and technological innovation.