Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.2, 2025 

Wang Guowei’s Concept of “Genius” and Its Discursive Resources

(Abstract)

Wu Shizhao

Wang Guowei did not provide a clear definition of “genius,” but his related discussions can reveal its general meaning: an inherent exceptional talent for aesthetic creation. From Wang Guowei’s perspective, “genius” is often used in the sense of “the abilities of genius” or innate gifts, and thus exists as an acquired element among others, altogether constituting the overall realm of creative subjects. Unluckily, some scholars tend to equate genius with the entire creative subject or mix up irrelevant qualities with genius, such as personality, virtue, and acquired knowledge or skills. Such acts result in a misunderstanding of Wang Guowei’s original intent and his intellectual resources. However, if we consider “genius” in the discourse of Wang Guowei as one element within the holistic creative subject, we can find the truth that both traditional Chinese literary theory and Western aesthetics, with the latter represented by Kant and Schopenhauer, impacted Wang Guowei from different perspectives.