The current state of “Chuang-Tzu” studies in China

The treatise “Chuang-Tzu”, as one of the Chinese Taoist classic books, influenced various Philosophical trends in China. It has great research value because it is not only a philosophical treatise, but also contains various stories, political views, doctrine, etc. Since the 20th century, great achievements have been made in the research of “Chuang-Tzu” by Chinese scientists, as well as problems in methodology, point of view and content of research that need to be solved. The analysis of the current state of the study of “ChuangTzu” contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the achievements, shortcomings and trends of the treatise’s research in various fields.

The literature review analyzes the current state of the study of “Chuang-Tzu” in China, analyzes the research background and topics in main research areas of the treatise, and summarizes the successes and shortcomings in general in the study of modern scientists on the research materials are presented by monographs and scientific articles about “Chuang-Tzu” by Chinese authors for the period 2000-2024, published in the CNKI database and the National Library of China. And materials are divided into clusters and subclusters by clustering.

As the results of the study, it is noted that the main progress of research during this period is a rational attitude to the use of Western scientific knowledge for the interpretation of “Chuang-Tzu”. The disadvantages of the study are the single points of view, the lack of Chinese own research methodology, the lack of research on the influence of “Chuang-Tzu” on modern culture and its translations into languages other than English, the lack of a modern definition of the parable of “ChuangTzu”, and it is also necessary to strengthen the comparison of Chinese and western philosophy, aesthetics and other ideas, and pay more attention to improving the dissemination and acceptance of translated text.

1. Chen Guying. Chuang-Tzu’s Brief Remarks. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company, 2020. (In Chinese)

2. Fang Yong. Lectures and Readings of ChuangTzu. East China Normal University Press, 2020. (In Chinese)

3. Wei Yixia. Chuang-Tzu’s Philosophy. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company, 2020.

4. Liu Shugang. Between Things: Chuang-Tzu’s Ethical Consciousness and Linguistic Concepts. Beijing: Peking University Press, 2020. (In Chinese)

5. Ha Jiaying. Chuang-Tzu’s Natural Humanistic Spirit in the Sense of Ecological Ethics. Hebei Academic Journal. 2005. No. 4. Pp. 116-119. (In Chinese)

6. Wang Shuren. Return to the Original Thinking of Chinese Wisdom from the Perspective of “Xiang-Thinking”. Nanjing: Jiangsu People's Publishing House, 2012. (In Chinese)

7. Wang Kai. The Happy Excursion – The Modern Interpretation of Chuang-Tzu’s Aesthetics. Wuhan: Wuhan University Press, 2003. (In Chinese)

8. Bao Zhaohui. A Study on the Chuang-Tzu’s Theory of Existentialism Aesthetics. Nanjing: Nanjing University Press, 2004. (In Chinese)

9. Luo Shuang. A Study on the Chuang-Tzu’s existential aesthetics. Doctor’s Thesis. Wuhan University, 2023. (In Chinese)

10. Zhang Qiqun. “Chuang-Tzu’s Aesthetics” as a paradox. Literary and artistic contention. 2018. No. 2. Pp. 68-84. (In Chinese)

11. Liu Jianping. The “Paradox” of Chuang-Tzu’s Aesthetics and Its Reflection — Discussion with Mr. Zhang Qiqun. Chinese Social Sciences Evaluation. 2019. No. 1. Pp. 106-115. (In Chinese)

12. Luo Shuang. Chuang-Tzu’s Aesthetics NonParadox: A Defense of the Legitimacy of Chuang-Tzu’s Aesthetics. Chinese Culture Research. 2020. No. 2. Pp. 102-111. (In Chinese)

13. Wang Zhenfu. The logical structure of the category system of Chinese aesthetics. Academic Monthly. 2024. Vol. 56 (01). Pp. 141- 154. (In Chinese)

14. Liu Baochang. Daoist culture and contemporary Chinese literature. Journal of School of Chinese Language and Culture Nanjing Normal University. 2008. No. 1. Pp. 70-79. (In Chinese)

15. Zong Yuyu. Thought of “Qi Wu” in Mo Yan’s Literary. Modern Literary Magazine. 2023. No. 6. Pp. 120-126. (In Chinese)

16. Zhong Hua. From “A Happy Excursion” to “Holzwege”: A Comparison of Heidegger’s and Chuang-Tzu’s Poetic Thoughts. Beijing: China Social Sciences Press, Hualing Publishing House, 2004. (In Chinese)

17. Liu Shengliang. Peng Flies Boundless: A Literary Study of Chuang-Tzu. Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 2004. (In Chinese)

18. Diao Shenghu. A New Exploration of ChuangTzu Literature. Beijing: Communication University of China Press, 2009. (In Chinese)

19. Yin Guoguang, Hua Jianguang. Study on verb valence in Chuang-Tzu. Studies of The Chinese Language. 2008. No. 5. Pp. 441-447. (In Chinese)

20. Yin Guoguang. The referential object and verb valence of the structure of the character “所” — An investigation of the structure of the character “所” in “Chuang-Tzu”. Studies in Language and Linguistics. 2006. No. 3. Pp. 30- 36. (In Chinese)

21. Yin Guoguang. Some issues on “verb valence in ‘Chuang-Tzu’”. Research In Ancient Chinese Language. 2003. No. 4. Pp. 45-52. (In Chinese)

22. Chen Qiqing. Rhetorical Studies of ChuangTzu. Changchun: Jilin University Press, 2010. (In Chinese)

23. Diao Shenghu. Water: Ancient Chinese Radical Metaphor. Academic Journal of Zhongzhou. 2006. No. 5. Pp. 180-183. (In Chinese)

24. Diao Shenghu. Modern rhetorical interpretation of the metaphor type of Chuang-Tzu. Lanzhou Academic Journal. 2012. No. 2. Pp. 134-138. (In Chinese)

25. Deng Xiaoling. A Study on Cognitive Metaphors in Chuang-Tzu’s Fables. Chengdu: Sichuan University Press, 2020. (In Chinese)

26. Shu Dingfang. The Structural Characteristics and Cognitive Function of Discourse Metaphors: A Case Study of the Hundred Parables and the Chuang-Tzu. Foreign Language Teaching and Research. 2017. Vol. 49 (03). Pp. 335-344. (In Chinese)

27. Ma Qijun. Folklore research on Chuang-Tzu. Master’s Thesis. Central China Normal University, 2002. (In Chinese)

28. Ma Qijun. A New Discussion of Folklore in “Chuang-Tzu”. Anhui: Anhui People’s Publishing House, 2023. (In Chinese)

29. Xu Lai. Study on the English translation of “Chuang-Tzu”. Doctor’s Thesis. Fudan University, 2005. (In Chinese)

30. Wen Jun, Gan Xia. Research on the English translation of “Chuang-Tzu” in China: Review and Foresight. Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies. 2012. Vol. 23 (03). Pp. 33-38. (In Chinese)

31. Huang Zhongxi. The historical characteristics and contemporary development of the English translation of “Chuang-Tzu”. Journal of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University (Social Sciencen Edition). 2010. Vol. 12 (05). Pp. 373- 374. (In Chinese)

32. Miao Wei, Wang Ling. The origin and current situation of the English translation of “Chuang-Tzu”. Modern Economic Information. 2017. No. 17. Pp. 410. (In Chinese)

33. Fu Tianhai. A Study on the Translation of “Chuang-Tzu” in Germany from the Perspective of Translation Culture. Beijing: China Drama House, 2023. (In Chinese)

34. Jiang Li. China and the West: Mirror Images of Each Other. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2022. (In Chinese)

35. Lei Peihua, Yang Chunli. Investigation and enlightenment of overseas evaluation of the English translation of “Chuang-Tzu” by Chinese translators. Publishing Research. 2018. No. 6. Pp. 89-92. (In Chinese)

36. Liu Yan. A cross-border journey of culture and language: a study on the English translation of “Chuang-Tzu”. Doctor’s Thesis. Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2013. (In Chinese)

37. Yang Li, Feng Daihong. English translation of classics from the perspective of ecological translation: A case study of “Chuang-Tzu”. Journal of Lanzhou Institute of Technology. 2015. Vol. 22 (06). Pp. 94-97. (In Chinese)