News & Events

On April 25th, 2024, Professor FANG Weigui, a member of Academia Europaea and a Changjiang Distinguished Professor, was appointed as Hongshen Outstanding Scholar at Chongqing University. He delivered an inaugural speech titled “Poesis: The Art of Language: A Study of Misinterpretation in ZHU Guangqian’s Translation of Hegel’s Aesthetics” at the Liberal Arts Lecture Hall.

Professor Fang, who spent 20 years in Germany, is recognized as a key founder in the study of conceptual history and is regarded as one of the leading figures in the study of East Asian conceptual history abroad. His research achievements have had a significant impact across various academic fields, including comparative literature, literary sociology, conceptual history, and overseas sinology.

In his lecture, Professor Fang began by elucidating the importance of the basic methods of conceptual history and addressing the issue of “mistranslation” in the Chinese context, referencing his recent books and papers. He then posed the question about why Zhu Guangqian’s translation of Hegel’s Aesthetics lacks the term “literature.” Professor Fang meticulously examined the historical semantics of several crucial terms in Hegel’s Aesthetics and, based on this analysis, identified the misinterpretations in Zhu Guangqian’s translation. For instance, “Poesie,” originally meaning “the art of language” (literature), was translated as “Poetry.” “Epik,” meaning “narrative literature,” was translated as “Epic.” “Lyrik,” primarily representing “poetry,” was translated as “lyric poetry.” Professor Fang also highlighted the translation issue of “dramatic poetry” in Zhu’s version. This conceptual dislocation has long hindered a proper understanding of Hegel’s original intentions. From the perspective of conceptual history, Professor Fang argued that if the terms mentioned above were not exclusively associated with “poetry,” it would offer a broader research perspective, more accurately reflecting the original historical context.

During the Q&A session, Professor Fang engaged in an in-depth discussion with faculties and students of the Liberal Arts College. He provided concise and insightful responses to each question, relating to the research of conceptual history and world literature. He also encouraged students to diligently accumulate their reading, stay interest-oriented, and lay a solid foundation for further study. The lecture concluded successfully in a great atmosphere.

Since its establishment in 2011, the Liberal Arts College of Chongqing University has adhered to offering broad-based, small-scale, and high-quality undergraduate education. The appointment of Professor Fang Weigui is a crucial step towards the goal of “the best liberal arts program for talents in humanities in Western China.”