Kafka "Neighbors" and "Tao Te Ching" inner association
February 08, 2021 09:55 Source: "China Social Sciences", February 8, 2021, Issue 2107, 2107, 2021

Franz Kafka is a very important German novelist,Its brushwork,Ideas perception is more philosophical。His culture for Greece、Hebrew culture is quite understood,and very interested in Chinese culture,I said,"I am Chinese at all,and I am going home ... "Many scholars have discussed the origin between Kafka and Chinese culture, especially Taoist thoughts。The reason why Kafka's work is in line with Taoist thought to some extent,On the one hand, because the spiritual temperament of the two is similar; on the other hand, it is because Kafka is the same as other German Jewish writers,When facing the mental trauma brought by war and technology,Putting attention to culture outside Europe,Want to find hope and other possibilities in these cultures,and China becomes their way out or retreat to some extent,Taoist thought becomes a Utopia -like spiritual sustenance。The following author takes Kafka's miniature novel "Neighbor Village" as an example,to explain the connection between the two。

  bet365 live casino games

According to incomplete statistics,As of 1920 ("Neighbors" was created in 1919),The German "Tao Te Ching" version has about 13,and Kafka once Bet365 lotto review talked about,He has read almost all the moral translations of the Tao Te Ching。

"Neighbor Village" was included in Kafka's short story collection "Village Doctor",Full text short and powerful,Don’t read it like a novel,It looks like a diary or a essay,Or a motto,but can give people inspiration。The storyline of "Neighbor Village" is extremely simple,Tell a doubt about a grandfather's doubt about young people riding to neighboring villages,The narrator is just an objective statement,I did not make a value judgment on it。But do we need to think: Why would my grandfather worry about an extremely ordinary cycling? Some researchers believe that this is Kafka using exaggerated artistic techniques,Highlighting the short -termness of life、Easy to flew and accidental。Some researchers believe that Kafka has adopted the relative narrative method of time and space,Use a metaphor similar to Einstein's theory of relativity,Makes space and time be constrained by self -feel,​​instead of fixed digital standards。​​Therefore, in the memory of my grandfather,Only compressed time and urgent life,and a certain degree of uncertainty at a certain extent at the end of life。This kind of time and space that is distorted by subjective distortion,Although it is more like experience in dreams,But it is considered by an old man of the twilight bet365 Play online games to be real。German scholar Walter Benjamin's point of view is different from the above comments,He believes that "neighboring village" is "neighboring country in the Tao Te Ching",The Voice of Chicken and Dogs Hear,The description of the old death and death of the people ",Of course, there is a subjective interpretation component,But to a certain extent, the reader's imagination space。

According to Kafka's friends' memories,Kafka has read the ancient Chinese philosophy and religious books translated by Richard Wilhelm, a German sinologist,,Idioms in these books、metaphor and stories fascinated him。This provides a basis for Ben Yaming's theory。but,If you want to understand which level of Benjamin, the similarities of the two,It also needs to talk about the origin between Benjamin and the Tao Te Ching。He once quoted the content of the German translation of the Tao Te Ching as the inscription of the second chapter of "Youth"。From Benjamin's use of the content of the Tao Te Ching,We can see,Lao Tzu For Benjamin,The meaning of "distance" and "interval" in space and time。1934,Benjamin linked the concept of closeness between Kafka and Lao Tzu with rural life,Think of "where in Kafka,There is a kind of rural atmosphere,The same is true of all religious founders "。

 With similar spiritual pursuit

By combing the relationship between Ben Yaming itself bet365 best casino games and the 80th chapter of the Tao Te Ching and his comment on Kafka,We can find,Benjamin believes that at least two levels between the two are meaningful。One,is "interval","Neighbors Xiangwai in" Tao Te Ching ",The Voice of Chicken and Dogs Hear,People who are old and dead are not each other "interpreted the village and the village、The distance between the country and the country。"Neighbor Village" is the same,Although it is a village that lives in the neighboring,but it is difficult to reach。If we contact the first half of the 80th chapter of the Tao Te Ching and the background of the creation of "Neighbor Village",The meaning of "interval" will be even more prominent。"Small country and widow people。Make the instrument of Shiber without; make the people die without migration; although there is a boat,Nothing; although there are A soldier,Nothing to Chen。Use it for re -knotting rope。Zhizhiji。Gan Qi food,Meiqi service,An Qiju,Le Qi。"The" small country and widow "here is not to say that Lao Tzu is yearning for the" national primary,People are young "countries。Ancient Chinese Classicists、Philosopher Wang Yan's annotation of it: "The country is small,People are widow,It can still make anti -ancient,The people are the great people! Therefore, it is also for the small country。"" That is to bet365 live casino games say,"Small nations and widows" are not real fingers,Just take "small country" as an example。The focus of Lao Tzu's emphasis is that although there are military and weapons that marching warfare,But it is not useful,Because the king and the people are farming on their own land,Not harassing neighboring countries。Europe in 1919 just experienced the First World War,Facing the cruelty of the war and the hustle and bustle of the industrial city,Return to nature and tranquility is many philosophers、Wishes of the writer,"Village" seems to have become a good medicine on their redemption road。

The "country" here refers to a beautiful and quiet natural environment,People can get spiritual comfort here; on the other hand, it means the spiritual element of "nature" and "simplicity","Park" is the embodiment of "nature" in human nature,refers to not only remove the extra desire on the person,It is necessary to reach the height of "Anonymous",Return to return to true。So,"The Tao Te Ching" Chapter 80 is not an age of advocating to return to the rope notes,Instead, to convey the concept of "璞" and the happiness of "Ganmei Anle"。These have universal significance and value,This is the second layer of Ben Yaming's understanding,"See Sub -Hand Pu,The nature of less private desire。"Neighbor Village" also warns young people not to be neighboring Bet365 lotto review villages with an old man's image,On the surface, because time is too late,It is actually explaining the limitedness of life,Warning people must not be greedy。Because of the age of life in Kafka,Industrial civilization develops rapidly,What follows is the continuous expansion of human self -recognition and the continuous growth of personal desire,As a result, "We try to put our limited small world on the unlimited big world。This,We interfere with the normal cycle of the matter "(Kafka)。

"Neighbors" and "Tao Te Ching" Chapter 80 can also be said to be on these two meaning levels,Is a portrayal of Utopia society。Here,Utopia is not just "the hometown of Wuyou",Its Greek word source also implies another meaning,That is "Futian Land",is a place for hope。If we use a metaphor,So this village is a paradox for departure and arrival,It seems difficult for us to reach,This is the dual paradox determined by human limitations。Even if the ideal society is difficult to reach,We still have to have hope,Therefore, "village" is regarded as the home destination and home,Even if you can't swim in the galloping and tranquility from time to time,But at least you can "wipe frequently from time to time" on the way to "go home",Do not cause dust ",Care others while settling。

(Author Unit: School of Literature, Renmin University of China)

Editor in charge: Cui Cen
QR code icons 2.jpg
Key recommendation
The latest article
Graphics
bet365 live casino games

Friendship link: Official website of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences |

Website filing number: Jinggong.com Anxie 11010502030146 Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: Beijing ICP No. 11013869

All rights reserved by China Social Sciences Magazine shall not be reprinted and used without permission

General Editor Email: zzszbj@126.com This website contact information: 010-85886809 Address: Building 1, Building 1, No. 15, Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing: 100026