Qian Zhongshu And Cultural Anthropology

Qian Zhongshu, as a peerlessly erudite scholar,has left us an idiosyncratic andcomprehensive space of discourse fraught with assorted cultural fragments from differenteras and nations. In this space of discourse there are not only insights into traditionalhumanities, such as literature,history or philosophy and so forth, but materials as well asperceptions of cultural anthropology. From my point of view, the relationship betweenQian Zhongshu and cultural anthropology could be concluded into resource sharing andinteraction of methods. In the first place, Qian cited a great many of anthropologists’writings, including both theories and ethnography. Meanwhile, he extracted an enormoussum of materials which are anthropologically meaningful from domestic and foreignliterature, history and oral tradition. Secondly, the methods adopted by Qian that todetermine cultural identity via cross-culture comparative studies, as well as to investigatethe common tendecies in cultural phenomena by "striking a connection between diversesources, are agree with the methods of anthropological research. Furthermore, some issuesabout myths, folk rituals and religions which were discussed in Limited Views are exactlythe focus of modern anthropologists’ concern.By reevaluating classical thoughts or literature in the anthropological perspective,Qian Zhongshu has improved traditional criticism methods and broaden the category ofliterary research. He has established affinities between assorted and fragmentary utterances,which are formed into carnivalization of discourse brought forward by Mikhail Bakhtin.Qian made best of the interdisciplinary characteristic of cultural anthropology andanthropologists’ principle of complying with truth, both of which accord with Qian’sinterest in "striking a connection" and preference for "juxtaposition" of fragmentaryutterance from diverse nations. This inclination might, to some extent, serve as soundcorroboration of Qian’s aversion to intellectual systematization and logical analysis that are always emphasized by people fanatical about scientism. Beneath the peculiar principle onwhich Qian selected anthropologists’ works as well as the unique arrangement and style ofhis works there is Qian Zhongshu’s subtle mentality in a special era, which is full ofcultural conflicts, and his attempt to conciliate Western and Chinese culture bydeconstructing the ordinary boundaries of historical periods, national culture andintellectual disciplines.