Prof. Tran Dinh Su
(Ha Noi National University of Education)
(Trần Lê Hoa Tranh dịch)
1. East Asian Literatures have the same word: Renovation
The paradox of history, the gunfire of Western development capital countries’ ship shot East Asian ancient and backward feudal countries (1), opening the colonial regime did intellectuals at those countries wake up suddenly, bringing Western literature and culture to those countries and raised an unprecedented deep revolution in cultural and literary which lasted until today.
The strength of Western thought is derived from freedom, democracy, scientific, liberated personality and creativity is extremely attractive for people, firstly is East Asia intellectuals. From the decade 50-60 of the XIX century (2), many Chinese, Vietnamese intellectuals have seen that power, but only Japanese has pioneered, and bridged successfully with Western culture, building strong Japan, and raised the movement to study Japanese in all East Asian countries about the transitional period of XIX-XX centuries. From Japan, China to Vietnam who first, who later agreed in two words Renovation. Japan was successful, China and Vietnam failed, but Renovation movement in two places has raised enlightenment movement, change in education, sending students abroad, publishing press and "New Books" . "New Books" in East Asia means a new classic system replaces the obsoleted classic Chinese. Renovation in China is prelude of May Forth movement. Renovation in Vietnam in colonial condition quickly suppressed (3), but promptly impressed in social life and literature. Afterthat was the direct contact with the Western culture through the study, translate or read directly European literature and philosophy works. In condition of demi-feudal and colonial in China as well colonial condition in Vietnam, the direct contact with the West was increasing. In China from May Forth has raised a literature revolution that the result was modern literature (new literature). Later 10 years in Vietnam appeared modern literature from 1932 to 1945. Until the end of XX century, Reformation in China or Renewal in Vietnam from the depth of the slogan is not depart but continues with Renovation.
2. Revolution changed the forms of literature
In far- ancient age, folklore culture’s
Vietnamese literature influenced South Asian one. Middle age influenced Han literature, belong to the area of Han culture. Modern time, system of Han examination was abolished, learning French and Nation Languge was widespread, Vietnamese literature gradually escaped direct impact of Chinese literature. The relationship of modern Chinese literature from May Forth and modern Vietnamese literature from the early twentieth century went abreast, changes the forms of literature under the influence of Western literature, has similarities in many aspects.
The important feature of the innovation literature is to change the forms of literature (4). Capitalism, as Marx and Engels said in the Declaration of Communist Party in 1848 (5), inherited the idea of Goethe raised in 1827, overcoming the isolation, local in each country in feudal society to establish the world literature (6). He wanted to communicate in this literary world, he must be Renovation, unless being isolated.
The form of New literature - Modern literature is a global literature, expresses in a wide East-West exchange, no longer framed in region, although East Asian exchanges in the new era have a different meaning with the East Asia in the past, as a bridge to the world. In the new literature of any country，we easily realized the new inter- text, allowing readers to participate a new world.
The new form of literature adapts to a new state of knowledge and new state thinking that the capitalist product have invented from the Renaissance, the latest from the XVII century to the twentieth century: rationalism, science, individualism, evolutionism, ideology of human rights and civil rights, ideologies of democracy, thoughts of freedom, economics, sociology, law, logical language.... The realism, romanticism, symbolism ...were literary phenomenons - the offspring of the new system knowledge, new thinking, new feelings.
New form of literature has to use a new language, not only far different from dead-language of traditional literature, but also from everyday language. Old language culture, literature fall into the state “lose voice". In China, the translation Western literary works by Lin Shu have a strong influence, Tien Chung Thu appreciated, but in general, because he did not know English, so he translated name of work, author's name incorrect, arbitrary cut off, shortened, changed order text, added comments, and, gave the criterion “elegant” beside the criteria "right, obtained" represents an old taste, leading to some texts are considered "not elegant" will not translated or translated different meaning ... This is evidence that new literature requires a new language compatibility (7). Modern mandarin language is not the language of madarin stories or daily language. Vietnam National language works were written in Latin letters is not written by Nom letter or daily language but language is formed on the basis of modern knowledge. Linguist proved the modern characteristic of system vocabulary, composed words and new link method. No kind of language, not convey the new spirit, new consciousness, no new literature. Numerous of new words in all fields: political, economic, scientific, social, psychological ... never have beofore, such as science, democracy, freedom, human rights, philosophy, culture, literature ...(8)
Form of new literary carries out an aesthetic functions as assigned by society, not appreciate of the tool education as middle age’s literature, which emerged functional aesthetic (9).
In the form of new literature, translation literary is powerful part. Chinese translated literature after the high tide translated “Prayer- book” movement of ancient times, up to modern time, translating movement started strong (10). Vietnam early twentieth century actually opening a new era of translation. At that time, Chinese literature really be considered foreign literature and translated Chinese books is very powerful (11).
The form of new literature encompasses both literary research, theory and critic. As reception theory, literature does not exist outside the reception, so if literature is composed of human life, so theory and critic literary is literature about literature. Traditional form associated with the review of literary works, test comment. The new form associated with new knowledge system about literature. “System of modern Chinese literature” by Bich Gia Trieu (1935 -1936) chief editor includes 10 volumes, the first two files for theory. “Modern writers” of Vu Ngoc Phan (1942) also enlisted many works of literary theory and critic. Of course by the history time, Hai Trieu, Dang Thai Mai has not presented. That defects was added by Thanh Lang later.
We can understand the modernity of new literature form are qualities formed the foundation of modern knowledge systems. System knowledge changes, as the modernity of literature as well as changes. That is the reason after the modern is the post-modern.
The literature revolution required to set up, separate, break with the national tradition, including Chinese culture, because there is no negative, can not fault innovation. In about two thousand years, Han cultural and Chinese literature influenced a large region of East Asia, can compare Greek culture to European literature. Dominant position of dead- language and written language and the classical system inhabited and bonded the development of social thought. Now want to renew, we must leave it along with many other traditions. It is a rule. “ Uncontinous is the characteristic of modernity”(12) (Anthony Giddens). The Chinese theorist Uong Huy commented that "modernity is not only superior to exceed past, but also that is through the opposition, cut off the past that set itself "(13). Back to back with traditional Chinese culture that the East Asian countries affected deeply. Himself as the Chinese turned to their traditions, " Demolish the Confucius door" (打倒 孔 家 店 - 吴虞). " Demolish the Confucius door " means demolished the moral dominate thousands of years. Phan Boi Chau when going abroad found "New Book" said, "Holy Book ancient sage has faded". Phan Chau Trinh advocated: gotten rid of the traditional Chinese thought, select Western human rights ideology. Tilled toward modern Western culture and literature, received maximum their achievements in order to build the new literature, because it is typical for the new form. Western language literature is not the language of ancient or middle Western, but modern. System category of Western literature is not the system from Aristote or middle Western. So, learning Western is learning a new form literature of human that no East Asian countries had, not just simple Europeanize or Westernize.
3． Westernize as a metaphor for literary exchanges in a modern world
In modern language, it is said that "Europe" or rather "the West", includes the U.S., European Latin Americans, sometimes includes Japan, although Japan is Eastern country. Although Western or Europe, even took part in this bloc, that union, but remain many areas, including countries with different cultural traditions: English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Holland, Austria, Poland, Hungary ... Today, Europe will include vast Russia, after this socialist countries fall. Turkey joined the European Union and had author winning the Nobel Prize, should be considered "European" country. Nigeria, South Africa in Africa, has writers won the Nobel Prize necessarily should also see "European" countries ... Argentina, Columbia ... the Spanish literature also develop necessarily European or West. India with R. Tagore works were written in English with Yasunari Kawabata, Oe Kenzaburo in Japanese wrote in Japanese, Cao Hanh Kien won Nobel prize, a French citizen, but still a Chinese deep soul... should be classified in any continent of modern literature map? Of course Nobel prize bears the unavoidable and limits of Western ideology, but at least represents the value system of modern world literature. Identity of their literature works are very diverse, sometimes unharmony, so when saying Europeanize or Westernize is “ize” from any country? Today, Westernize or Europeanize is just a metaphor about the development of the literary world bases on modern system of knowledge that the rest of the world will follow the way of progress. The Japan phenomenon is seen as "Western" world prove that if there is any other non-Western countries that reached the level of economic, cultural, ideological, modern literature equal the West not meaning that it will set up a new center attraction the world. It's just a very well advanced in the diversity of the pioneers had only. As a metaphor, so sometimes that needs criticize "Westernize" or "Europeanize" necessary to distinguish the local meaning and metaphors meaning. If the acquirement exceed specific countries, that is a creative rapidly. Works of Tagore, Kawabata, Kenzaburo, Marquez, Cao Hanh Kien, Pamuk ... express the trend of the world literary.
4. Destiny and mission of East Asian literatures in meeting of East-West
Trends in globalize literature do not mean the condescending and losing national identity. Many comments are concerned “ Europeanization” (Westernization ) will cause loss of national identity in East Asian literatures, but in fact, consider the main trend are not exactly. Perhaps no one influences foreign concerns much such as Lu Xun. His short stories and poetry were influenced by Gogol, Dostoievski, Turgenev, Chekhov, Nietsche, Andreev, Freud, Cervantes, Caragial, Tru Xuyen Bach Thon (Hakuson)... But his works was recognized as a most national writer. Hoai Thanh admitted "Vietnamese poet influenced five or seven French poets", “but the soul of French poetry transform in Vietnamese poetry is the Vietnamese poetry completely”. “The foolish simulation immediately excreted”(14). Thach Lam also said, “each Vietnamese reporter contains in minds several names of the French, but actually Vietnamese reports that period had Vietnamese style”(15). Nam Cao in “Unnecessary Life” depicted main character having creative aspirations in the world context, and having painful sense of his impotence.
Globalization trend first manifested in the tendency of composing attracting most writers into its stream as realism, romanticism, naturalism, symbolism, modernism, post-modernism... (The trend of twentieth century literature in China, Vietnam). The exchange forms the new tradition, new identity of national literature (New Poetry in China and Vietnam both have trends of realism, romantism and modernism (16). National language promote innovation potential aesthetic expression unprecedented. Narrative literature follows new forms (The changes in the forms of narrative in Chinese and Vietnamese literature) (17).
Critic, theory literature of East Asian countries also tend to follow the Western literary criticism: from impressionism, cultural history, biography studies, psychoanalysis, archetype critical, sociology (including social studies to practical use!), each tends have a few representatives. We can compare in a fairly level some representatives as Chu Duong, Phung Tuyet Phong - Hai Trieu, Dang Thai Mai, Ha Xuan Truong; Hoai Thanh - Li Kien Ngo; Mao Thuan – Tran Thanh Mai, Truong Tuu .. . In a fairly level because Chinese literary critics appear former, staturer, but the literary critic skilled Vietnamese critics more professional. There are many cases do not find appropriate (18). From composing to literary critizing now East Asian countries do not separate from the general process of world literature.
In terms of process, the process of modernization in socialist countries also took place complex, depending on the world situation. Both the Soviet Union, China, Vietnam, North Korea, Eastern Europe socialist countries has had time to modernize the direction of the socialist system until he collapsed. National literature of most countries spread three stages in the twentieth century: the beginning of XX century developed towards freedom, pluralism, the middle stage, developed towards close socialism, unique, opposition, boycotting almost tends of the world; the last period, after the opening, renovation or collapsion, literary exchanges, international integrates basing on globalization of knowledge and literature develops diversity, rich, multi-faceted meet the needs of human spirit (19). In this process the conflict between literary trends of extreme politicalize with normal literature in the area of literary socialist countries, slowed down the development of literature in the direction of modernity, declined aesthetic diversity.
In this process, national literature of each country still has its own identity, advantages, achievements. Many writers in Asia, Africa, Latin America has shown outstanding achievements over many major international literary awards. It is eloquent proof of integration age’s power. Course the level going to the world of national literature has common and specific difficulties. Chinese literature in modern time has massively overflowing into Vietnam with authors as Kim Dung, Mac Ngon, Vuong Mong, Gia Binh Ao, Phung Ky Tai, Du Hoa, Truong Hien Luong, even Ve Tue, Xuan Thu ... But according to Ban Blanchard, the amount of Chinese literatures comes out the world is very limited, except Zhang Yimou's film “Red Sorghum”. The situation also have similar problems with Vietnamese literature, there has different that China has virtually not translated Vietnamese literature, except “ Sir Consultant” of Huu Mai.(20)
The new forms of national literature is not only satisfy the aesthetic needs of the country’s readers , but also require higher, satisfy world readers’ interested. So national literature has a new mission can not reject. Exchange helps people self-awareness, discovers national identity better. Nearly 70 years ago Hoai Thanh wrote: "The impact of French helped us realize what our personality. Or return to the ancient Vietnamese poetry, or find the Tang poetry, French poetry, then go where we also find ourselves. We found and many times we met”(21). It's not just simple ancient’s ourselves, but modern one, what ancestor are not aware, express. Once upon a time “moving” of Nguyen Tuan is considered eccentric, but today, when economy is developed, living standards improved, no modern Vietnamese wants to jail after his "green bamboo” (which is where now?!), to move and travel local and abroad. Once upon a time Vu Trong Phung also mocked the fashion in Van Minh’s shop, but this fashion nowadays in a fairly morality tends to meet the tastes of young people. Seeing mode of Ao dai open back, open chest…shows the diversity in tastes dress. Of course, the opposition, the break is never absolute. Seeing new poetry, besides Western characteristic in The Lu, Xuan Dieu, Han Mac Tu, Che Lan Vien ... the marks of Vietnamese poetry, ca dao, Tang poetry are clear. Not only in poetry, but in short stories, novels, reports, essays…as well, such as short stories and essays of Nguyen Tuan. But that is not absolute. Trend of modern poetry are doing what the most daring poet of New Poetry thought. When the world wear opened-neck dress so Vietnamese not always thinks of installing closed neck when communicate. Converse is the same. It is the general rule in literature of every modern nation. National characteristic is a dynamic, developed category, not closed, invariant. This is because literature is not only developed vertically history but also horizontally through the exchange. Both directions are defined from each other, promoted each other (22). The problem is to find more venues between national literature and literature of other nations in the world.
5. New chances of national literature
Literatures of South East Asia countries although have long thousand years traditions today can not return to their traditions, and any real right to do so. Life nowadays is completely difference in all faces. Not only the means, living conditions were different, but the soul, emotions, habits as well, not only slow but distinct differences quickly. The love of family, nation, people, nature is intense as the past, but the expression was no longer as before. The international exchange is not only a vital conditions of the country but also the development of national literature. Expand exchanges as long as literature can, it is time the nation's new literature of each country. That was the time of Vietnamese literature, whom effects of international exchange is probably at least in the area.
NOTES
1. Asia as the geographical position is divided into North East Asia, West Asia, South Asia. East Asia. East Asian countries included of Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia. Here, because of the limited understanding, just mentioned China and Vietnam.
2. Views: The Typical Faces of InnovationTrends in Vietnamese History, Van Hoa Thong tin Publishing House. Hanoi, 1998. Other important figures in Vietnam as Nguyen Truong Pham Phu Thu Nguyen Lo Trach ... In China as NguyNguyen, Khang Huu Vi, Luong Khai Sieu, Nghiem Phuc, Quach Sung Dao ... Views: 中国 近代 文学 的 历史 轨迹Shanghai shudian, 1999.
3. Views: Nguyen Van Xuan, Renovation Movement, La Boi, Saigon, 1969.
4. The concept of forms of literature is based on predictions of both Goethe and the Marx, just based on the role of types of knowledge in the development of culture, literature that M. Foucault and J. - F. Lyotard proposed.
5. Marx and Engels written in the Declaration of the Communist Party: "Instead of isolation of provinces and the nation remains self-sufficient before, we see the common relationship has developed, the common process among nations. Producing material that was equal producing spirit, the result of spirit acivities of a nation become common property of all peoples. narrow-minded and one-side characteristics can not survive longer, and from the diversified national literature, are appearing a world literature" Collection of C. Marx, F. Engels, Volume 1, The Truth Publisher, Hanoi, 1980, pp. 545-546.
6. The concept of world literature today have many ways out: the whole literature of the world, forms of literature, literary period, genre in literary world, system classical works of world literature, literature overall, the big movements of literary attractive countries’ literature. We understand the world literary just based on the exchange literature on the world scale, just based on global knowledge system that multi-faces exchange offers.
7. 施 蜇 存 着 翻译 文学 的 输入 Thi Triet Ton. The imported of translation literary. Introduction in System of modern Chinese literature. In the book: Orbital history of modern Chinese literature. Shanghai shudian, 1999.
8. 高 玉 着 现代 汉语 与 中国 现代 文学 Cao Ngoc. Modern Han Languages and Modern Chinese literature. Chinese Social Sciences Publishing House, Beijing, 2003.
Authors mentioned a few examples: the words "culture" in ancient time means literature and education, different from the cultural translation "Culture" today; "scientific” is organized knowledge, different from "natural science". The word "democracy" old is "as the owner of people" more remote from democratic progress from "Democracy" means a regime for the people own the state; the word "literature" is the work of learning scholars ... now "literature" is the whole of literary, artistic language. Previous, only having "prose" and "poetry". Example Collection of Vietnamese poems and proses ... See also: Tran Dinh Su, Vietnamese - Han Letters in the original Japanese words in Vietnamese words, in the book: Literary and Time, Literature Publishing House, Hanoi, 2000.
9. In China, the first person wrote the aesthetic nature of literature, as opposed to the policy of Confucius pragmatic benefits and Luong Khai Sieu is Vuong Quoc Duy, then Chu Quang Tiem. In Vietnam, the first person is Thieu Son opposed to the policy of pragmatism of Pham Duy Ton, the person opposed systematically is Hoai Thanh to Hai Trieu’s point of view. Contradictions between practical and aesthetic extends almost throughout the twentieth century. Aaesthetic awareness experiences some forms: psychological aesthetic, romantic aesthetic, formalistic aesthetic, mystical aesthetic, consumption aesthetic.
10. According to documents published in modern times in 12 years has translated 156 types of books, including 413 books. Particularly, Lam Tru alone have translated 185 books. The end of Qing, novel published in 1500, translated novels owns 2 / 3. May Forth time, according to statistics in System of New Literature, total translation works for eight years (1919-1927), published 187 translated works. From 1949 to 1953 translated 2151 types of books, the number of publishing reached five million copies a book. (From data in book: Outline of comparison literature, Tran Don, Luu Tuong Ngu, Publishing House of Beijing University of Pedagogy, 2000.
11. 颜 保 着 中国 小说 对 越南 文学 的 影响 Nhan Bao. Influence of Chinese novels to Vietnamese literature. In the book: Novels Chinese in Asia, International Cultural Publishing Company, 1989. By Nhan Bao, only the XX century has 316 classic literary works translated from Chinese language to National Letter.
12. Abstract from Tran Gia Anh. 陈嘉 映着 现代 性 与 后 现代 性 十五 讲 15 lectures on modernism and post-modernism, Beijing University, Beijing, 2006.
13. 汪晖 着 韦伯 与 中国 的 现代 性 问题 Uong Huy. Max Weiber and problems of modernism in China, in the Self - Collection of Uong Huy, Guangxi Teachers' Publishing, 1997.
14. See Hoai Thanh. An era in Poetry, in books: Vietnamese Poets.
15. Thach Lam. Collection.
16. Huy Can, Ha Minh Duc editor. Looking back a Revolution in Poetry, Education Publishing House, Hanoi, 1993; Mai Nhi, Modern Literature, Vietnamese Literature, Exchange and Meeting. Literature Publishing House, Hanoi, 1994.
谢冕 着 新 世纪 的 太阳 二十 世纪 中国 诗 潮 Ta Mien. Trend of twentieth century Chinese poetry, Age Publishing House, Beijing, 1993; 骆寒 超 着 二十 世纪 新诗 宗 论 Lac Han Sieu. General Comment new poetry the XX century, Hoc Lam Publishing Studies, Shanghai, 2001; 谭 楚良 著 中国 现代派 文学 史 论 Dam So Luong, Talking about History of Modernism in China. Hoc Lam Publishing, Shanghai, 1996.
17. 陈平原 著 中国 小说 叙事 模式 的 转变 Tran Binh Nguyen. Changes the mode of narrative in Chinese Fiction, Beijing University Publishing House, Beijing, 2003; 米 列娜 编 从 传统 到 现代 世纪 转折 时期 的 中国 小说 Milena. From traditional to modern – Chinese Fiction in Turning Period Century, Beijing University, Beijing, 1991.
18. 刘峰 杰 著 中国 现代 六大 批评家 Luu Phong Kiet. The six Chinese Literary Critics. Beijing University, Beijing, 2005 (Includes Chu Tac Nhan, Mao Thuan, Luong Thuc Thu, Li Kien Ngo, Ho Phong, Chu Duong); 温儒 敏 著 On Nhu Man. Curriculum History of Chinese Modern Literary Critic, Beijing University, Beijing, 1993 (IncludesVuong Quoc Duy, Chu Tac Nhan, Thanh Phong Ngo, Luong Thuc Thu, Mao Thuan, Ly Kien Ngo, Phung Tuyet Phong, Chu Duong, Ho Phong, Chu Quang Tiem); 许 道 明 着 中国 现代 文学 批评 史 新编 Hua Dao Minh. New Chinese Historical Critics of Modern Literature, Phuc Dan University, Shanghai, 2002, introduced nearly 40 critics. Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan. Vietnamese Literary Critic Begining Half of the Twentieth Century (1900 - 1945), National University of Ho Chi Minh City Publishing House, 2004; Tran Dinh Su. “Vietnamese Theory and Critic Literature XX Century”, in book: Vietnamese Literature XX Century – Theory and History Issues, Education Publishing House, Hanoi, 2004.
19. 余虹 着 革命 审美 解构 Du Hong. Revolution, Aesthetic, Destructure. White-collar.net, .24 - 2-2003. Authors divide the history of theory, critic of Chinese literature XX century in three phases and examined by the concept modern and post modern. From 1919 to 1949 is the phase developed in pluralism, from 1949 to 1979 period was the political ideology of the party, from 1980 on the opening stage of reform, trends pluralism. La Nguyen in the unpublished thesis of Theory of Russian Literature post-Soviet period (2008) also divided theory Russian literary critic in three stages. See: La Nguyen. Fate of the Historical Thesis of Orthodox Theory, Soviet Journal of Literary Research, No. 9-2008. Л. П. Егорова П. К. Руccкой Чекалов История литературы XX века, M., 1998. Authors divide the history of Russian literature into 3 stages, from early twentieth century was a period literary pluralism, orthodox Soviet period starting in 1930 to the crash of the Soviet Union, from the period after the collapse until now is period of chaos, nothingness. We also devide the history of literary theory and critic Vietnam XX century in three main stages. Early twentieth century to 1945 was a period pluralism. Period from 1945 to 1986 - period of Marxist orthodoxy, 1986 renewal period, multilateral and diversified. From the similarities in development stage of history literary theory and critic of the Soviet Union - Russia, China and Vietnam may see national literature in modern time develops according to the general trends of the world, not the phenomenon of independent, autonomous. So the national characteristic has been limited by global.
20. View the interview on Chinese Newsletter, on 29-4 - 2009. In this article, according to the opinion of Mrs. Jo Lusby, Chinese literature difficultly spreads worldwide because of deep national characteritics, too much knowledge of Chinese history was put into works, making the Western readers are difficult to reach; Trinh Ba Nong, vice president of Chinese Writers Association criticize Western publish books is only interested in Chinese banned books to satisfy curious but the value of literature is less interested. That negatively affect composed in China. Some writers write to deliberately blocked, creating conditions for translating abroad. About translating Vietnamese literature to foreign countries, see the article reflects the situation on the occasion of the International Conference on Promotion of Vietnamese Literature from 5 to 10 - 1-2010 in Hanoi. Overall the world has little knowledge about Vietnamese literature.
21. Hoai Thanh. Vietnamese Poets.
22. Issues can be viewed: 钱 中文 著 文学 理论 文学 发展 论 Tien Trung Van. Literature Theory- Comment on Literary Development, Publishing. Institute of Social Sciences of China, Beijing, 1998, 4th publish, 2007; 钱 念 孙 着 文学 横向 发展 论 Tien Niem Ton. The Development of Literature in Diaphragm Direction, Shanghai Arts Publishing, 1989, 2001.