In Search Of The Cross-cultural Literary Rules

In1974, Yip Wai-lim firstly proposed the concept of "Cultural Mould"’theory in his article Application of Moulds in the Field of Cross-culture Comparative Literature Study, aiming at advocating a review of basic differences, which was shown up in different aesthetic system, between eastern and western cultures from the perspective of inter-cognition, and probing common literature rules behind these phenomena. At the same time. Yip Wai-lim absorbs the linguistic strategy and logics of Taoist aesthetic into his own theoretical construction combining with western culture study theories’viewpoints. By this way. Yip Wai-lim has made great contribution to the development for the discipline of Chinese comparative literature. Following with the improvement of "Cultural Mould" theory, Chinese classical aesthetics have gained much more influence in comparative literature study, while the unbalanced communication phenomena between western and eastern poetics has also achieved much more attention from domestic and overseas scholars in this field. This dissertation comprehensively and systematically analyzes "Cultural Mould" theory’s academic background, core concepts and theoretic influence as well as introspects its weaknesses. While at the same time, this dissertation also points out evolutionary directions of "Cultural Mould" theory to explore the ability of a further development.The body consists of four chapters. The first chapter introduces the generating background of the "Cultural Mould" theory from Yip Wai-lim’s individual culture consciousness, Taoist aesthetics*support and western poetics’influence. The second chapter discusses the construction of three core concepts in this theory, including "cultural mould" from synchronic and diachronic perspectives,"five aesthetic points" from theirs aesthetic and theoretic relationship and "inter-cognition" from its methodological meaning. The third chapter introduces the theory’s home and broad influence, especially those involving with the construction of "Chinese School" and the contribution to equal dialogue between eastern and western poetics. The last chapter focuses on the shortcomings, such as the narrow poetic viewpoints and the neglect of other poetics in Chinese classical aesthetics, in recent studies and points out a new evolutionary direction. The weaknesses of Yip Wai-lim’s "Cultural Mould" theory only exist in its application not in the inner logics, so they have no impact on the theory’s rationality and show the improvement space in some degree.Yip Wai-lim received his education from China and America. This special academic experience offers him the chance to gain knowledge of both cultures directly and diversely as well as confers the charming and vitality on his theory. So the first and the most important task of this dissertation is to make a slight effort on the improvement of "Cultural Mould" theory by comprehensive analysis and profound thinking.