Conference ｜ The First International Workshop on Frontier Research of ＂Chinese Etiquette Debate and Nakanishi Rei Studies＂

Nowadays, "the dispute of Chinese etiquette" has become a technical term. Whether it refers to the dispute between the East and the West in a narrow sense (1583-1742) or a series of historical facts that have almost run through the whole communication between China and the West since the Ming and Qing Dynasties in a broad sense, the "Chinese etiquette dispute" can be called a major event in the long history of cultural exchanges between China and the West. It is of great significance to the comparison, dialogue and communication between different civilizations in the world today, and its importance is beyond doubt.

On May 11, 2019, the first international workshop on the frontier research of "Chinese Etiquette Debate and Nakanishi Rei Studies" was held in the Convention Center of Shanghai Normal University. With the innovative way of "interdisciplinary dialogue and parallel research", the workshop gathered more than 30 experts and scholars at home and abroad to explore and expand the way of communication and dialogue between China and foreign countries.

The first international workshop on the frontier research of "China’s Etiquette Debate and Nakanishi Rei Studies" brought together more than 30 domestic and foreign experts and scholars from Fudan University, Wuhan University, Central South University, Institute of World Religions of China Academy of Social Sciences, South China Normal University, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Vassar University in the United States and other Chinese and foreign universities and research institutes. The workshop was jointly sponsored by Shanghai Comparative Literature Research Association, Li Xu Wenming Dialogue Research Center of Fudan University and China Language and Literature Innovation Team of Shanghai Normal University, and was specifically undertaken by the editorial department of Comparative Literature and World Literature, the national key discipline of Shanghai Normal University.

The opening ceremony of the workshop was presided over by Associate Professor Ji Jianxun, majoring in comparative literature and world literature in Shanghai Normal University.

Professor Cha Tsinghua, Dean of School of Humanities and Communication, Shanghai Normal University, and Professor Liu Yunhua, Head of Comparative Literature and World Literature, delivered speeches respectively. Dean Cha first warmly welcomed many experts and scholars from home and abroad, and then introduced the characteristics of Shanghai Normal University’s comparative literature and world literature from three aspects: continuity of development, interdisciplinary and cross-cultural education, and the fine tradition of paying equal attention to academic research and personnel training, and put forward valuable suggestions for the future of disciplines, which should not only seize opportunities, but also continue to improve modestly and cautiously. Professor Liu Yunhua further pointed out that the purpose of the discipline is to create a relaxed, pleasant and truth-exploring academic environment, and placed deep expectations on the future development of young scholars. At the same time, Liu Jiaoshou announced that he would take this meeting as an opportunity to prepare for the establishment of the "Interdisciplinary Dialogue and Parallel Research Center" of Shanghai Normal University.

The conference consisted of a keynote speech in the morning and two parallel workshops in the afternoon. Under the unified theme of "Chinese Etiquette Debate and Nakanishi Rei Studies", 21 lectures were given, which cleared up many problems and promoted the academic understanding and research of "Chinese Etiquette Debate" from various angles and fields.

Li Tiangang: "Debate on Chinese Etiquette" —— Research Method and Its Expansion

The keynote speech in the morning is divided into two halves. The keynote speech in the first half was hosted by Yuan Zhaohui, a researcher at the Institute of World Religions of China Academy of Social Sciences. Professor Li Tiangang of Fudan University, with the title of "Debate on Chinese Etiquette: Research Methods and Its Expansion", discussed four issues. The first one was about "Debate on Chinese Etiquette", and he emphasized that not only western documents but also Chinese Manchu and other oriental documents should be cited in the research methods and its expansion. On the second hand, he pointed out that the "Chinese etiquette dispute" is nominally about "ceremony" and in essence involves concepts, namely God and God, soul and Anima. In the third aspect, he said that the in-depth discussion of the "Chinese etiquette dispute" depends on the continuous advancement of the research paradigm, and in the process, we should open our minds to new knowledge; Finally, taking his new work Kanazawa as an example, he introduced his research in the context of the history of thought, mainly considering what is religion and what is folk belief, and the close relationship between religion and belief and the daily life of ordinary people.

Liu Yunhua: What is the relationship between European Enlightenment and China culture?

Professor Liu Yunhua of Shanghai Normal University gave a lecture entitled "What is the correlation between European enlightenment and China culture? First of all, taking Leibniz as a case, he analyzed and pointed out that although Leibniz had contact with China culture through missionaries, he explained the Confucian "reason" with his deistic view, rather than being influenced by it to achieve ideological transformation. Furthermore, he pointed out that the influence can be divided into implanted and confirmed. When talking about the enlightenment’s understanding of western core concepts such as freedom, equality and democracy, China culture has no implanted influence on the west, but only confirmed influence in the process of collision. Finally, he reconsidered the position of "science and technology" in the history of thought, and pointed out that most thinkers in China in the late Ming Dynasty were always confined to political correctness and could not seek truth from facts, and their understanding of western science and technology was really limited.

Mingde Wei: How to read China’s classics? From the perspective of "Nakanishi Rei studies"

The keynote speech in the second half was hosted by Ivan Ruviditch, director of the International Drama Studio of Shanghai Normal University and associate professor of comparative literature and world literature. Professor Mingde Wei of Fudan University’s report "How to Read China Classics? From the perspective of "Nakanishi Rei Studies", he thinks that "Jing" has the same meaning as the western Textus, and it is woven intentionally, so it must have a structure, so we can observe the Patterns in the structure in turn, that is, the structural Patterns and layout. On this basis, he specifically analyzes the patterns in various types such as structural rhetoric according to historical traditions. It also points out that when we contact the text, we need to regard the whole text as a style of existence and writing. And we should learn to understand a classic and put all these factors into its definite rhetorical structure, just to produce what the work itself contains in those who are ready to read it and endure its obscurity.

Song Lihua: The Encounter between the East and the West —— Guo Shi’s Hunting China in Chinese Novels

Professor Song Lihua of Shanghai Normal University made an in-depth study of Guo Shili’s works with the theme of "Encounter between the East and the West: China in Guo Shili’s Chinese Novels". By analyzing the image of China in his Chinese novels, he pointed out that although Guo Shili took Europe, especially Britain, as the frame of reference in describing China, China was excluded from the mainstream of European scientific, artistic and commercial development and became the object that needed European attention and even rescue. However, his words about China’s national character should not be simply regarded as a distortion of the facts, but should be understood as a historical event that really happened, because it once truly shaped the history and relationship between China and the West.

Zhang Yaonan: From "Debate on Etiquette in China" to Comparative Philosophy in China and Europe —— A Preliminary Study on "Debate on Etiquette" in the History of Comparative Philosophy in China and Europe

Professor Zhang Yaonan of Beihang University gave a report entitled "From the Debate on Etiquette in China to Comparative Philosophy in China and Europe —— A Preliminary Study on the Debate on Etiquette in the History of Comparative Philosophy in China and Europe". He pointed out that "Comparative Philosophy in China and Europe" refers to the comparative study between Chinese philosophy and Western philosophy. Looking at its history from Han and Wei dynasties to the present, it has experienced or will experience six periods. As the fourth phase of comparative philosophy between China and Europe, the debate on Chinese etiquette can be observed in six steps, and further summarized from a philosophical perspective, that is, "the debate on Chinese etiquette" and the "Enlightenment Movement" in western Europe are the same movement, and the themes debated are orthodox and heresy, atheism and deity, polytheism and monotheism, rationality and belief, wisdom and superstition, and self-reliance and self-reliance. It also emphasizes that the summary of Hegel’s "China’s Backwardness Theory" and "Historical Progress Theory" is not in line with the reality of Chinese studies and cannot be established.

On behalf of the National Day: the first voice of the debate on etiquette in China

The first half of the workshop was presided over by Wang Lingling, editor of Journal of Beijing Administration College. Professor Guo Qing on behalf of South China Normal University gave a report entitled "The Preamble of Chinese Etiquette Debate". He took the analysis of sacrificial rites from the perspective of Gao Muxian’s interaction with Chinese and Western Confucian classics as an example, and pointed out that in the recent history of cultural exchange between China and the West, Dominicans, as one of them, have always shown themselves as opponents of Chinese etiquette, highlighting their historical image different from Jesuits’ "adaptation strategy". In fact, it’s not that Dominicans didn’t reconcile Yeru. As early as when he preached in the Philippines, Gao Muxian focused on building a dialogue bridge between Thomas theology and Zhu Xi’s Neo-Confucianism, and applied it to the field of sacrifice. Gao Muxian’s comments on China’s sacrificial ceremony constitute the target of Domingo’s understanding of Chinese etiquette.

Wang Ding ‘an: The Separation of Chinese and Western Sacrifices and the Re-development of Comparative Confucian Classics during the Ming and Qing Dynasties

Associate Professor Wang Ding ‘an of Zhejiang University of Technology is entitled "The Separation of Chinese and Western Sacrifice Rites and the Re-development of Comparative Confucian Classics". He believes that the topic of "whether Mass is a sacrifice or not" during the Ming and Qing Dynasties was being staged fiercely in Europe at the same time, but it was not fully developed in China because of suppression. Now we re-examine the problems, beneficial experiences and the possibility of re-launching Comparative Confucian Classics with Aquinas’ sacrificial theology, which unifies "object" and "way". We can find that the difference between "being" and "being like being" presented by the sacrificial object is nothing more than a concrete manifestation of the relationship between God and man; The "way" of offering sacrifices to both Ye and Confucianism shows obvious sacredness.

Xiao Qinghe: Breaking away from the mundane and becoming a saint —— The Catholic narrative about saint in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties

Xiao Qinghe, an associate professor at Shanghai University, gave a report entitled "Going from the mundane to the holy: the Catholic narrative about the holy in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties". By analyzing the evolution of the meaning of the word "holy" and related terms, he clearly showed the process of cultural exchange, conflict and integration between China and the West. He pointed out that the missionary equated Sanctus with "Saint", which not only changed the meaning of Chinese character "Saint" and enriched the content of "Saint" since Ming and Qing Dynasties, but also changed the understanding of Sanctus in European Christian tradition, and the thoughts and spiritual worlds of both sides were blended and changed.

Ji Jianxun: The Origin of the Debate on Chinese Etiquette and the Relationship between Chinese and Western Learning Systems

Associate Professor Ji Jianxun of Shanghai Normal University, starting from The Origin of the Debate on Etiquette in China and the Relationship between Chinese and Western Learning Systems, emphasized that the "Debate on Etiquette" should not be a problem only related to the West or the East, and the new understanding should put it back in the historical coordinates of Sino-foreign exchanges, and the key to solving it lies in identifying the origin of the debate and clarifying the Chinese and Western learning systems behind the conflict. Confronting the problem of "etiquette dispute" and the "two-way" between culture, education and religion in China society revealed from it can help us better understand the two different cultures of China and the West and oppose the "clash of civilizations".

Yang Huiling: A New Probe into the Anti-ancestor Worship Thought in the Debate between Chinese and Western Etiquette in Qing Dynasty

The second half of the first group of the workshop was presided over by researcher Yuan Zhaohui from the Institute of World Religions of China Academy of Social Sciences. Yang Huiling, a researcher at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Comparative Civilization and Humanities Exchange of Beijing Foreign Studies University, took the topic "A New Probe into the Thought of Anti-ancestor Worship in the Debate between Chinese and Western Etiquette in Qing Dynasty" as an example, and studied his understanding and reinterpretation of China culture from the standpoint of Christianity by analyzing Li Yufan, a representative figure who opposed Chinese etiquette in the Debate of Chinese Etiquette in the Vatican Library. He found that he was equally familiar with it even if he held a position and viewpoint against China’s "ancestor worship" culture. Therefore, in the process of cultural exchange between China and the West in history, both sides of the exchange have the process of understanding each other and absorbing each other, rejecting and abandoning, seeing differences in the same, and seeking common ground while reserving differences and integrating and innovating.

Gao Shengbing: Matteo Ricci’s Cultural Identity and Its Translation Strategies and Effects

Associate Professor Gao Shengbing of Anhui University of Science and Technology gave a report on Matteo Ricci’s Cultural Identity and its Translation Strategies and Effects. He analyzed Matteo Ricci’s choice of "God", "Soul" and "Diligene/Caritas" (to love/. The cultural identity of "Western Confucianism" makes Matteo Ricci compare or choose Confucian concepts or words in his discourse, and the cultural identity of Catholic missionaries makes Matteo Ricci choose foreignization in concept translation. As the "other" of China culture, the translated words he chose can be widely accepted, which deserves our consideration.

Jian Wu: "Individualization" and "Cultivation" —— A Comparison between Jung’s Analytical Psychology and Taoist Inner alchemy

Jian Wu, a teacher of Jiaxing University, took "Individualization" and "Cultivation": A Comparison between Jung’s Analytical Psychology and Taoism’s Inner alchemy as the topic, and through the interpretation of the most concentrated and important commentary text of Jung on Taoism’s Inner alchemy, distinguished the fundamental difference between Jung’s psychology and Taoism’s Inner alchemy, and Jung’s misunderstanding of "The Purpose of Taiyi Jinhua". He pointed out that Jung’s psychology and Taoism’s inner alchemy are ideographic codes of two discourse systems, which represent two sets of thinking paths, and their speech objects are both internal experiences, so their differences are actually greater than their similarities. If we say that Jung adopted the method of "Geyi", it may not be an exaggeration to take me as the main analytical psychology when interpreting the Purpose of Taiyi Jinhua (including the Classic of Wisdom and Life) for his own analytical psychology.

Tan Jie: Words and deeds attest to Taoism —— Characters and moral education in "stories of testifying to Taoism" in the late Ming Dynasty

Associate Professor Tan Jie of Central South University’s report is "Words and deeds attest to the truth: the characters and moral education in the story of testifying to the truth in the late Ming Dynasty". By tracing back to the ethical tradition of the Renaissance, he placed the story of testifying to the truth in the Chinese translation in the late Ming Dynasty in the humanistic ethical tradition of the Renaissance. Through the analysis of two typical characters, "King Philip" and "Bi Da Lie La", he investigated its transmission by quoting the words and deeds of western sages.

Jia Weizhou: Confucianism-Confucianism in the Dialogue between Ye and Confucianism in the Late Ming and Early Qing Dynasties

The first half of the second group of the workshop was presided over by Dr. LIM Hyebin, a teacher majoring in comparative literature and world literature at Shanghai Normal University. Associate Professor Jia Weizhou of Guangdong University of Finance and Economics is entitled "Confucianism-Confucianism in the Dialogue between Confucianism and Confucianism in the Late Ming and Early Qing Dynasties", trying to return to the historical text and the specific context in which the problems occurred, so as to understand the reasons why the religious interpretation of Confucianism occurred in the dialogue between Confucianism and Confucianism in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, the starting point of different views, the methodology of hermeneutics and the results of the debate. This understanding will provide specific historical enlightenment to the discussion of religious interpretation of contemporary Confucianism. At the same time, the western Confucianism-Confucian view can reflect the attitude towards the whole culture of China, and we can also see the historical formation path of the western China view and China’s western view.

Jiang Xiaojuan: An Islamic Chinese Translator Influenced by the Debate of Catholic Etiquette

Dr. Jiang Xiaojuan of Fudan University’s report is "Islamic Chinese Translators under the Influence of Catholic Etiquette Debate". She started with the stimulation brought to Islamic scholars by a series of activities of Jesuit missionaries entering China, emphasizing that while they were hit hard, the Jesuits’ writing and speaking activities also inspired Islamic scholars, stimulating them to promote the localization of Islam in the same way, and a number of Islamic Chinese translators headed by Wang Daiyu emerged. They advocated the further development of Islam in China by interpreting Confucianism and explaining the similarities between Islam and Confucianism, which contributed to the further China of Islam.

Li Qiang: Christians in China and the Modern Evolution of the "Etiquette Debate" in the Early Qing Dynasty —— Focusing on the manuscripts in Xujiahui Library

Li Qiang, a doctor from Shanghai University, took the modern evolution of the text "The Debate on Etiquette between Christians in China and the Early Qing Dynasty" as a topic-focusing on the manuscripts collected in Xujiahui Library. In his report, he systematically combed the modern evolution of "The Debate on Etiquette" as a product, so as to illustrate the historical inevitability of modern Catholicism releasing the bondage of "The Debate on Etiquette" to Christians in China.

Wang Hongchao: Religion, Politics and Culture —— A Study of Yi-ology of Suoyin School and Missionaries in China

Associate Professor Wang Hongchao of Shanghai Normal University is entitled "Religion, Politics and Culture: A Study on the Yi-ology of Suoyin School and Missionaries in China". He pointed out that the study of Zhouyi by missionaries in China was deeply rooted in the biblical interpretation through the example that China Suoyin School founded by Bai Jin hoped to find the information of ancient China’s GOD from the Book of Changes and Jacob’s interpretation of "God" in the Book of Changes and other classics in the late Qing Dynasty.

Wang Niecai: Revelation or Reason? Two Opposing Interpretations of the Confucian Classics during the Rites Controversy

The second half of the second group of the workshop was presided over by Professor Du Wenwei, President of North American Oral and Performing Literature Research Association, Professor of Vassar University in the United States and researcher of China Opera Academy. Associate Professor Wang Niecai of Zhaoqing University took the book Revelation or Reason? Two opposing interpretations of the Confucian classics during the Rites Contraversy, this paper first introduces two different interpretations of the Four Books in the West, that is, the Franciscan Lian Dang (1602-1669) and the seal of Confucianism (1664) adopted an allegorical method to interpret the true meaning of China classics as the revelation of Christianity, while rejecting the traditional Confucian classics. And the Jesuits adopted the rationalism method in The Four Books of Western Languages (1687) to coordinate the western rationalism with Confucianism. Through the parallel comparison of the two concepts, it is very intuitive to show how these two explanations are rooted in different theological traditions, which leads to the two sides taking opposite positions in Chinese etiquette disputes.

Wu Rui: A Textual Research on the Origin of Oriental Etiquette in Shakespeare’s Plays

Wu Rui, a researcher at Shanghai Theatre Academy, gave a report on the Origin and Development of Oriental Etiquette in Shakespeare’s Plays. He pointed out that Shakespeare’s works involved a lot of oriental content and oriental protagonists, such as Cleopatra, Othello, and Shylock. According to textual research, the main drama conflicts in Romeo and Juliet also came from the legends of two rival families in the East. By exploring the origins of oriental rituals in Shakespeare’s plays, we can provide a path for the orientalization of Shakespeare’s plays.

Wang Qiyuan: Xu Guangqi’s Legacy in Shanghai and Its Contemporary Significance

In the report entitled "Xu Guangqi’s Legacy in Shanghai and Its Contemporary Significance", Wang Qiyuan, an associate researcher at Fudan University’s Chinese Ancient Books Protection Institute, thinks that, as a first-rate figure who walked out of Shanghai in modern national history, if these places in Shanghai related to Xu Guangqi can’t be fully studied and developed, it is indeed a slight violation of the actions of the sages. Therefore, he made an in-depth investigation of Xu Guangqi’s legacy in Shanghai through the publication of a large number of local documents such as the "Shanghai Fu County Old Records Series" compiled by Shanghai Local Records Office and Tongzhi Museum.

Du Wenwei: On the Mutual Influence of Eastern and Western Cultures from the 90-year History of The Story of Grey Lan

Professor Du Wenwei, with the theme of "Looking at the Interaction between Eastern and Western Cultures from the 90-year History of Grey Lan Ji", systematically combed the spread and evolution process of Yuan zaju "Grey Lan Ji", and concentrated on analyzing the theme changes of "Grey Lan Ji" through various stage adaptations. He pointed out that the spreading history and the changing process of the theme reflected the mutual influence between the themes of eastern and western cultures and drama theory, and in this long-term mutual influence process, The Story of the Grey Lanji not only became a historical drama that was performed circularly on the eastern and western stages, but also spawned some modern dramas.

The results of this workshop are quite fruitful, and the teachers and students attending the workshop have had a heated discussion, which has made a great breakthrough in the paradigm and content of promoting the study of "Chinese etiquette dispute". I believe that there will be significant progress in the near future, and a brand-new and in-depth "Nakanishi Rei study" is taking shape. In December 2018, the Center for Comparative Literature and World Literature, a national key discipline of Shanghai Normal University, held the first forum of "Interdisciplinary Dialogue and Parallel Research", which aroused widespread concern in academic circles. On the basis of the first forum, this workshop is another academic grand meeting with the innovative mode of "interdisciplinary dialogue and parallel research", thus further contributing to the construction of the first-class discipline of China Language and Literature in Shanghai Normal University and making new contributions to the academic innovation of humanities in China.

In terms of research paradigm, scholars’ research shows that the academic discussion on "Chinese etiquette dispute" is starting from the field of history and turning into the fields of literature, philosophy, culturology and religion, showing a trend of multi-paradigm transformation; In terms of research content, the series of results of this workshop also show that the series of debates between Chinese and Western civilizations are ostensibly centered around "Chinese and Western etiquette", which is behind the differences and dislocation of the core concepts of the two heterogeneous civilizations, namely "keywords". These studies can be done from point to area, with a clear sense of problems, and provide important reference for the current in-depth exchanges and dialogues between China and foreign countries.