本論文用比較文學方法論探討nonsense (無意義、無意中有意現象) 作為文學顛覆工具，並提出了nonsense作爲一種世界文學的普遍現象的論點。通過對如英國維多利亞時代、殖民時代的印度、社會主義時期的中東歐文學以及《莊子》、魯迅、85新潮中國第一次當代藝術運動作品和香港無厘頭文化電影等不同國家和領域文學背景下的nonsense現象的比較研究，本論文旨在揭示nonsense文學在中文文學中的重要性。本文的結構遵循三個不同的文學間共同體的分解：近代早期和殖民地英語共同體、蘇聯集團的中歐和東歐文學共同體以及以中國為中心的東亞文學共同體。 第一章概述了理論背景，將nonsense置於更廣泛的文學理論、哲學和語言學背景中。它藉鑒了 G.K. Chesterton、Jean-Jacques Lecercle 和Wim Tigges等代表性理論家的著作，討論了文學中nonsense的定義和功能。本章也徹底地介紹了論文所採用的方法論，也就是斯洛伐克Ďurišin教授的世界文學以及跨文學交流方法論。論文的詮釋結構内，nonsense與沈默和瘋狂形成特殊的、相互解釋的三角形關係：沈默被看成為一種特定的表達方式而瘋狂作為簡述者（作者）的一種表觀心境。 用這種結構的原因是，nonsense本身難以給予定義、它消極地定義為缺乏意義。在一些情況下，文學中的nonsense被看成為一種可以傳達很深刻的不可言喻的真理的必然方式，否則在無法表達的情況下，這種高級境界的哲理將導致文學作品中的角色或作家發瘋（裝瘋）或沉默。 第二章討論了英國的nonsense傳統以及Edward Lear和Lewis Carroll定義了維多利亞時代nonsense流派的作品。然後，焦點轉向戲劇，尤其是莎士比亞的作品，最後轉向殖民時期的印度nonsense文學。孟加拉作家Sukumar Ray的作品代表了世界nonsense學流派發展的一個重要里程碑。 第三章探討了俄羅斯和捷克斯洛伐克文學中荒誕和nonsense的顛覆性本質，特別是在社會主義時代。它分析了丹尼爾·卡姆斯（Daniil Kharms）作為 OBERIU 團體和名為 chinars 的私人圈子的主要成員的作品，強調他利用荒謬和nonsense來尋求藝術和個人自由並定義人生目的。本章將東歐文學中的nonsense的顛覆功能與中國文本和藝術中的nonsense進行了比較。 第四章聚焦在中國古代道教選集《莊子》，檢視其如何利用nonsense來傳達變革性的哲學思想並挑戰傳統思想。核心論點認為，《莊子》包含了nonsense的成分，儘管這些nonsense在中國文學中並不突出，但卻證實了這種思維方式在中國古代的存在。 首先，對於《莊子》中的「無用」概念和第22章回《知北遊》進行深入分析，凸顯了它們對於定義中國文學的nonsense意義。顯然，《莊子》用nonsense來擾亂邏輯思維，促進對現實的更直觀的理解。然後，論文引起魯迅短篇小説《狂人日記》以及中國「85」運動代表人物徐冰的《天書》作爲nonsense為文學和藝術思維為的代表作品。本章也探討了以周星馳電影為代表的香港無厘頭文化，尤其是這種nonsense幽默如何反映香港回歸後的社會政治焦慮，用荒謬和nonsense對社會等級和規範的挑戰，以及文化抵抗和本地身份形成的一種形式。最後，焦點轉向禪宗公案，可以說是中國和日本語境中文學廢話的最佳例子。 第五章綜合了研究結果，將nonsense分為有趣的、顛覆的和思維改變三種類型，並給出了結論。它論證了nonsense的普遍性及其在文學理論中的意義，斷言nonsense是人類認知和表達的內在組成部分。本章也強調了在比較背景下研究nonsense的重要性，以了解其在不同文化和歷史環境中的作用。 論文最後斷言nonsense作為一種文學現象的普遍性，強調其在挑戰和重新定義文化和知識規範方面的作用。它強調了nonsense在中國文學中的重要性，並主張將其視為中國語境下可行的文學思維模式。該研究也探討了數位時代nonsense的當代相關性，探討其對數位素養和批判性參與資訊的影響。 綜上所述，本文對nonsense文獻以及電影和藝術作品進行了全面分析，為其顛覆性潛力和普遍應用提供了新的見解。它彌合了不同文學傳統之間的差距，並提出了一種關於nonsense的一般理論，解釋了nonsense在不同歷史時期的文學和文化中的不同表現形式。

Abstract This dissertation investigates the role of nonsense as a tool of literary subversion, with a specific focus on Chinese literature. It traces the concept of nonsense across different literatures and time periods, arguing for its universal significance. The analysis includes comparative studies of Victorian nonsense and its Chinese translation, Indian (anti-)colonial nonsense, Russian and Eastern European absurd and nonsense literature during the Socialist era, and Chinese texts such as the Zhuangzi, Lu Xun’s short stories, modern Chinese avant-garde art of Group ’85, and Hong Kong's mo-lei-tau culture. The structure of this dissertation follows the breakdown to three distinct interliterary communities: early modern and colonial English-language community, Central and Eastern European literary community of the Soviet Bloc, and East Asian literary community centered on China. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the theoretical background, situating nonsense within the broader context of literary theory, but also philosophy and linguistics. It discusses the definitions and functions of nonsense in literature, drawing on the works of prominent theorists such as G.K. Chesterton, Jean-Jacques Lecercle and Wim Tigges. The chapter also introduces the methodology employed in the dissertation, which includes comparative literary analysis, as well as the way to delineate nonsense – defined negatively as an absence of sense – with related terms like silence and madness. Chapter 2 discusses nonsense tradition in England and the work of Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll that defined the genre of Victorian nonsense. Focus then shifts to theatre, especially the work of William Shakespeare, and finally to Indian nonsense literature in the colonial period. The work of authors such as the Bengali writer Sukumar Ray represents an important milestone in the development of the genre of nonsense literature. Chapter 3 explores the subversive nature of nonsense and the absurd in Russian and Czechoslovak literature, particularly during the socialist era. It analyzes the works of Daniil Kharms as the leading member of the OBERIU group and the private circle called the chinars, emphasizing his use of absurdity and nonsense in search of artistic and individual freedom and to define life purpose. This chapter draws parallels between the subversive function of nonsense in East European literatures and the nonsense in Chinese texts and art. Chapter 4 focuses on the ancient Chinese Daoist anthology Zhuangzi, examining its use of nonsense to convey transformative philosophical ideas and challenge conventional wisdom. The core argument posits that the Zhuangzi incorporates elements of nonsense, which, despite not being prominent in Chinese literature, substantiate the presence of this mode of thought in ancient China. The concept of uselessness in the Zhuangzi and a crucial dialog in ch. 22 (“Bright Dazzlement Asked Non-Being”) are analyzed in depth, highlighting their significance for defining Chinese nonsense. The Zhuangzi employs nonsense to disrupt logical thinking and promote a more intuitive understanding of reality. Examples of nonsense as a mode of literary thinking in the work of Lu Xun, and artistic thinking in the works of the ‘85 Movement, esp. Xu Bing's A Book from the Sky, are then discussed. This chapter also looks at the Hong Kong's mo-lei-tau (wulitou, 無厘頭) culture, epitomized by Stephen Chow’s movies. It explores how this form of nonsensical humor reflects the socio-political anxieties of the post-handover Hong Kong, using absurdity and nonsense as a challenge to societal hierarchies and norms, as well as a form of cultural resistance and local identity formation. Finally, focus shifts to Chan/Zen Buddhist koans as arguably the finest example of literary nonsense in Chinese and Japanese context. Chapter 5 synthesizes the findings, categorizing nonsense into playful (non-committal), dissenting (subversive), and metaphysical (transformative), and offers a conclusion. It argues for the universality of nonsense and its significance in literary theory, asserting that nonsense is an intrinsic part of human cognition and expression. The chapter also emphasizes the importance of studying nonsense in a comparative context to appreciate its role in different cultural and historical settings. The dissertation concludes by asserting the universality of nonsense as a literary phenomenon, emphasizing its role in challenging and redefining cultural and intellectual norms. It highlights the significance of nonsense in Chinese literature, arguing for its recognition as a viable mode of literary thinking within the Chinese context. The study also addresses the contemporary relevance of nonsense in the digital age, exploring its implications for digital literacy and critical engagement with information. In summary, I provide an analysis of a selected sample of nonsense literature, offering new insights into its subversive potential and universal application. It bridges the gap between different literary traditions and proposes a general theory of nonsense that accounts for its diverse manifestations across literatures and cultures in various historical periods.

Abe, Stanley K. “No Questions, No Answers: China and A Book from the Sky”. boundary 2, Vol. 25, No. 3, “Modern Chinese Literary and Cultural Studies in the Age of Theory: Reimagining a Field” (Autumn 1998), pp. 169-192. JSTOR, doi: https://www.jstor.org/stable/303593. Accessed 28 Nov 2018.

Google Scholar

Abrams, M.H., and Geoffrey Galt Harpham. A Glossary of Literary Terms. 11th ed. Stamford (USA): Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2015.

Google Scholar

Adamek Piotr. Good Son is Sad If He Hears the Name of His Father: The Tabooing of Names in China as a Way of Implementing Social Values. London: Routledge, 2020.

Google Scholar

Aitken, Robert. Trans. The gateless barrier: The Wu-Men kuan (Mumonkan). San Francisco: North Point Press, 1990.

Google Scholar