On the morning of June 9, 2025, Professor Congrong Dai, a tenured professor at the Institute of Global Humanities at Nanjing University, delivered a thought-provoking lecture titled “The Fragmentary Chinese History in Finnegans Wake” at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU). The event was jointly organized by the British Studies Centre and the Irish Studies Centre of the School of English and International Studies at BFSU.
During the lecture, Professor Dai explored the complex representation of Chinese history and culture in James Joyce’s modernist masterpiece, Finnegans Wake (1939). Drawing on her extensive research, Professor Dai discussed how Joyce constructed a “universal history” within the novel, weaving together fragments of Chinese imagery with those of other cultures. She noted that Joyce’s approach both subverts and reconstructs historical narratives, offering a vision that is “fragmentary and comprehensive, antithetical and unified, heterogeneous and stereotypical.”
Quoting recent scholarship, Professor Dai highlighted that Joyce critically engaged with Western conceptions of China, especially the “Yellow Peril” narratives prevalent in early 20th-century Europe. She referenced Finn Fordham’s analysis, which argues that Joyce did not simply reinforce the duality of East and West but sought to undermine it through parody and proliferation of diverse cultural references. As Professor Dai explained, “Finnegans Wake is not only a history of subversion, but also a history of construction.”
The lecture also traced the influence of contemporary theatre and literature on Joyce’s writing, such as the popularity of musicals like “Chu Chin Chow” and the impact of Ezra Pound’s Chinese poetry. Professor Dai illustrated how the proliferation of Chinese elements in Western plays and novels during Joyce’s lifetime shaped his own literary imagination.
At the end of the lecture, Professor Zhanpeng Wang delivered a closing summary. He spoke highly of Professor Dai’s brilliant presentation, remarking that the lecture was both informative and thought-provoking. According to Professor Wang, the lecture not only provided the audience with a wealth of historical facts and textual details but also deepened their understanding of the observation and reflection on Chinese imagery in Joyce’s novels. He emphasized that, as demonstrated by Professor Dai, Joyce’s “encounter” with Chinese culture is far closer and more intricate than previously imagined. These seemingly scattered elements are, in fact, indispensable components in Joyce’s construction of a “universal history” and are of great significance for understanding the relationship between China and the West, as well as different cultures. Through these fragments, we can perceive the interplay of cultural conflicts, differences, compromises, and understanding, which ultimately paves the way toward mutual comprehension. This, Professor Wang concluded, holds important contemporary relevance for overcoming various prejudices and limitations.
This lecture is part of an ongoing series organized by the British Studies Centre and the Irish Studies Centre at BFSU, aiming to promote interdisciplinary research and international academic exchange.
