“What’s Past Is Prologue:”Medieval English Studies in China in Recent Decades (1978-2014)

If Chaucer was the father of English poetry, Professor Li Fu-ning (1917-2004) functioned as the father of medieval English studies in the P.R.C. The greatest achievement of medieval English studies in China in recent decades (1978-2014), which are embodied in a considerable number of translations (from Beowulf to Robert Henryson), anthologies, master’s and doctor’s theses (in 2009 alone, three Ph.D. dissertations from a single university are devoted to studies of Middle English literature), journal articles (over 150 on Chaucer alone), literary histories, and monographs (at least four of them in English), is that the general agreement has been reached that the Middle Ages are not a “dark age,” but a rich and vibrant one. Some salient features of these studies include: first, translations (of primary texts and secondary sources) are made to aid critical studies. Second, among other things, translation studies and comparative studies come to the fore. Third, a historical consciousness is conspicuous. Studies of the linguistic, socio-political, historical, religious, and cultural contexts are integrated or juxtaposed with textual analyses. Macro studies as well as more focused work are available. Fourth, a generic awareness is present. Translations, literary histories, and monographs are frequently organized around generic distinctions, and the particular attention paid to genres implies the autonomy and subjectivity of literature in the new era. Still, much room is left for improvement. The oft-found lack or inadequacy of scholarly apparatus suggests that inadequate training and the lack of institutional support are presumably the biggest problems lying behind. More professionally trained scholars are expected to carry out more in-depth studies of all aspects of medieval English literature from a Chinese perspective in the decades to come. Finally, contributions from foreign experts such as Professor Thomas Rendall should not be neglected.