Georg Brandes and the Development of the Chinese Lyrical Tradition

Georg Brandes (1842–1927) has had a significant influence on the development of the Chinese lyrical tradition since the beginning of the 20th century. During a panel on comparative literature at the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) in 1971, Chen Shih-Hsiang said that the “Chinese literary traditi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: C. T. Au
Format: Article
Language:ces
Published: Karolinum Press 2023-05-01
Series:Acta Universitatis Carolinae: Philologica
Online Access:http://www.karolinum.cz/doi/10.14712/24646830.2023.15
_version_ 1797819777474887680
author C. T. Au
author_facet C. T. Au
author_sort C. T. Au
collection DOAJ
description Georg Brandes (1842–1927) has had a significant influence on the development of the Chinese lyrical tradition since the beginning of the 20th century. During a panel on comparative literature at the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) in 1971, Chen Shih-Hsiang said that the “Chinese literary tradition as a whole is a lyrical tradition,” offering another perspective for interpreting the Chinese literary tradition. The Chinese lyrical tradition emphasizes expressing deep feelings (or embodying lyricism) in various art forms. When tracing the trajectory of the development of the Chinese lyrical tradition, one finds that Lu Xun’s “Moluo shi li shuo” (On the Power of Mara Poetry) (Mara Poetry) has had a profound impact on the formation of the lyrical tradition, which was proposed by Chen ShihHsiang in 1971, and has been consolidated by Chan K. K. Leonard since the 21st century. However, the important role that Brandes played in Lu Xun’s analysis in “Mara Poetry” has not received the attention it deserves. In fact, Lu Xun’s article is deeply indebted to Brandes’s Poland: A Study of the Land, People and Literature (Poland). In order to bridge this research gap, the aim of this paper is twofold. Firstly, it attempts to examine the degree to which Brandes helped develop the Chinese lyrical tradition by identifying his influence on Lu Xun. Secondly, it traces the development of the tradition by delineating both Chen’s and Chan’s contributions. Chen’s research helps highlight the characteristics of A. Mickiewicz’s poetry introduced by both Brandes and Lu Xun, which were considered the major characteristics of the Chinese lyrical tradition by Chen later on. Chan’s study further suggested that the characteristics embodied in Mickiewicz’s poetry can also be found in Lu Ji’s (261–303 AD) “Wen Fu” (Essay on Literature).
first_indexed 2024-03-13T09:27:36Z
format Article
id doaj.art-d471bc2355054ac7bc7217b3c26bc34c
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0567-8269
2464-6830
language ces
last_indexed 2024-03-13T09:27:36Z
publishDate 2023-05-01
publisher Karolinum Press
record_format Article
series Acta Universitatis Carolinae: Philologica
spelling doaj.art-d471bc2355054ac7bc7217b3c26bc34c2023-05-26T08:29:21ZcesKarolinum PressActa Universitatis Carolinae: Philologica0567-82692464-68302023-05-0120231637610.14712/24646830.2023.15Georg Brandes and the Development of the Chinese Lyrical TraditionC. T. AuGeorg Brandes (1842–1927) has had a significant influence on the development of the Chinese lyrical tradition since the beginning of the 20th century. During a panel on comparative literature at the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) in 1971, Chen Shih-Hsiang said that the “Chinese literary tradition as a whole is a lyrical tradition,” offering another perspective for interpreting the Chinese literary tradition. The Chinese lyrical tradition emphasizes expressing deep feelings (or embodying lyricism) in various art forms. When tracing the trajectory of the development of the Chinese lyrical tradition, one finds that Lu Xun’s “Moluo shi li shuo” (On the Power of Mara Poetry) (Mara Poetry) has had a profound impact on the formation of the lyrical tradition, which was proposed by Chen ShihHsiang in 1971, and has been consolidated by Chan K. K. Leonard since the 21st century. However, the important role that Brandes played in Lu Xun’s analysis in “Mara Poetry” has not received the attention it deserves. In fact, Lu Xun’s article is deeply indebted to Brandes’s Poland: A Study of the Land, People and Literature (Poland). In order to bridge this research gap, the aim of this paper is twofold. Firstly, it attempts to examine the degree to which Brandes helped develop the Chinese lyrical tradition by identifying his influence on Lu Xun. Secondly, it traces the development of the tradition by delineating both Chen’s and Chan’s contributions. Chen’s research helps highlight the characteristics of A. Mickiewicz’s poetry introduced by both Brandes and Lu Xun, which were considered the major characteristics of the Chinese lyrical tradition by Chen later on. Chan’s study further suggested that the characteristics embodied in Mickiewicz’s poetry can also be found in Lu Ji’s (261–303 AD) “Wen Fu” (Essay on Literature).http://www.karolinum.cz/doi/10.14712/24646830.2023.15
spellingShingle C. T. Au
Georg Brandes and the Development of the Chinese Lyrical Tradition
Acta Universitatis Carolinae: Philologica
title Georg Brandes and the Development of the Chinese Lyrical Tradition
title_full Georg Brandes and the Development of the Chinese Lyrical Tradition
title_fullStr Georg Brandes and the Development of the Chinese Lyrical Tradition
title_full_unstemmed Georg Brandes and the Development of the Chinese Lyrical Tradition
title_short Georg Brandes and the Development of the Chinese Lyrical Tradition
title_sort georg brandes and the development of the chinese lyrical tradition
url http://www.karolinum.cz/doi/10.14712/24646830.2023.15
work_keys_str_mv AT ctau georgbrandesandthedevelopmentofthechineselyricaltradition