• Opinion Paper
  • January 23, 2025
  • Open access

Li Ming-bin, Zha Xiao-yan. The History of Literary Relations between China and Russia / transl. from Chinese by I. A. Alimov. Moscow: International Publishing Company “Chance”, 2024. 742 p.: Book review

Abstract

The text is a review of the book “The History of Literary Relations between China and Russia” by two Chinese scholars, Li Ming-bin and Zha Xiao-yan, which was published in Moscow in 2024. The review notes the breadth of the material (Russian-Chinese literary ties from the 17th to the end of the 20th century), the thoroughness and scrupulousness of the factual description, its multifaceted nature (the history of translations, mutual study of literatures, contact ties, and the imagological aspect). It is noted that justifiably trying to overcome Western centrism in the description of the literary process, Chinese scientists risk replacing it with Sinocentrism. Such a trend is indicated in the book under review, in particular, in some incorrect assessments and characteristics of Russian writers when they are compared with Chinese ones, in the accentuation of the problem of studying Chinese literature in Russia with insufficient attention paid to the question of the state of Russian studies in China in general and the study of Russian literature in China in particular. It seems desirable to delineate the perceiving context in more detail, which would allow for a deeper explanation of the patterns of mutual reception of the two literatures.

Author information

Valerii Pavlovich Trykov

Dr

Moscow State Pedagogical University

About this article

Publication history

  • Received: December 8, 2024.
  • Published: January 23, 2025.

Keywords

  • китайское россиеведение
  • преодоление западоцентризма
  • русско-китайские литературные связи
  • компаративистика
  • Russian studies in China
  • overcoming Western centrism
  • Russian-Chinese literary relations
  • comparative studies

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© 2025 The Author(s)
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