On December 4, 2023, at 14:00, Professor Zeng Yanbing from the School of Liberal Arts, Renmin University of China, who also serves as the editor-in-chief of Foreign Literature Studies and a visiting researcher at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Foreign Literature at Beijing Foreign Studies University, was invited to our School to deliver an academic lecture titled "After the Burning of the Community: Kafka's Contemporary Significance." The lecture was hosted by Professor Cao Ruonan, the Dean of our School, with nearly one hundred faculty members and students in attendance.
Professor Zeng Yanbing began his lecture by comparing the works of Lu Xun and Kafka, initiating a fascinating dialogue between the two literary figures. He then delved into the universal significance of the "Kafkaesque" concept by interpreting it in the context of contemporary global realities. Drawing from Hillis Miller's discourse on Kafka's reflections on community in The Burned Community: Novels Before and After Auschwitz, Professor Zeng provided a profound interpretation of Kafka's works in three aspects: "indestructible things", "infinite hopes", and "heightened awareness of one's death". He pointed out that Kafka's enduring trust in the indestructibility of human essence, his persistent hope in the face of despair and paradox, and his exploration of the issue of death epitomize the ultimate concern for the human destiny community in his works. In the concluding remarks, Professor Zeng patiently and meticulously addressed questions raised by the audience, offering valuable advice particularly on methods of interdisciplinary literary research, multidimensional exploration of textual meanings, and cultivation and perseverance of academic interests and aspirations among young scholars.
This lecture vividly demonstrated the approach and methodology of integrating contemporary realities and cutting-edge academic trends into the study of literary works, enriched and inspired the faculty and students on their understanding of contemporary interpretations of classic literature, and broadened their academic horizons.
Dean Cao Ruonan presided over the lecture
Prof. Zeng Yanbing
Meeting Room
Group Photo
Text: Zhang Ya
Photo: Qu Yuanjun
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