Abstract
The translation of Chinese xiaoshuo pingdian (commentaries written or printed together with classical and vernacular Chinese fiction) by overseas scholars was first seen on the eve of the Opium War, while scholarly research on such texts began in the mid-twentieth century, anticipating the boom of domestic research at the end of the century. The scholarly tradition and contribution of overseas research vary geographically. European scholars take the lead in translation, and their choice determines the dominant version. Their discoveries of commentary texts also provide valuable literature for subsequent research. North American researchers lead the theoretical innovation, both in comprehensive and in thematic studies. Japanese scholars value the connection between commentary and edition and publication. Korean scholars primarily stick to case studies of Feng Menglong, Lu Yunlong and ancient Korean fiction written in Chinese. Although ancient Vietnamese fiction commentaries were also influenced by the Chinese tradition, this area still remains under-researched. In Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia, research has a lot to do with scholars' disposition. The systematic collation, evaluation and utilization of overseas research are key to advancing the study of Chinese fiction commentaries in the new era.
Keywords
fiction;commentary;overseas;research
First Page
150
Last Page
159
Recommended Citation
Lin, Ying. 2023. "An Analysis of Overseas Research on Chinese Xiaoshuo Pingdian (Fiction Commentaries)." Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art 43, (3): pp.150-159. https://tsla.researchcommons.org/journal/vol43/iss3/16
