The essence and drawbacks of cultural pluralism

The rise of cultural pluralism in China can be seen as a form of "delayed modernity." In fact, by the late 1980s, cultural pluralism was already a hotly debated topic in Europe and North America. Perceptive scholars had realized that it might be, in some way, colluding with the new capitalist order.

As Terry Eagleton, a prominent Marxist critic and author of literary theory, pointed out, "But once one begins, in a spirit of generous pluralism, to break down the idea of culture to cover, say, 'police canteen culture,' 'sexual-psychopath culture,' or 'Mafia culture,' then it is less evident that these are cultural forms to be approved simply because they are cultural forms. Or, indeed, simply because they are part of a rich diversity of such forms."

In fact, all cultures are mixed in nature. Capitalist culture, with its inclusiveness of heterogeneous coexistence, embraces cultural pluralism primarily to foster a fragmented multitude that lacks the cohesion necessary for unity.

Chen Yangu, one of the earliest scholars in China to discuss cultural pluralism in depth, described how this concept became politically correct and controversial following the criticism of Eurocentrism and the emergence of cultural difference and identity politics. He soberly observed that, while cultural pluralism aimed its criticism at the dominant ideologies of the past, it failed to realize that it was defending today's "invisible masters."

The "invisible masters" refer to the new capitalism of the globalized era. In this era, traditional exploitative relationships within nation-states and between colonial powers and their colonies have transformed. Global corporations have severed their ties with their parent nations, turning even their countries of origin into new arenas of colonization. Colonial power is no longer wielded by nation-states but by global corporations.

The ability to address major issues of the times

Let's talk about the issue of cultural diversity in ethnic minority literature. Indeed, as cultural pluralism has gained widespread recognition, diversity has been perceived negatively, causing ethnic minority literature to withdraw from efforts to achieve both universality and contemporary significance. In an effort to establish symbolic value and secure a place in the cultural market, ethnic minority literature often emphasizes its own distinct characteristics, inevitably resulting in a form of self-exoticism.

In the creation of literature, this can be seen in the narrow themes, the clichéd plot structures, the flat character images, the self-exoticization of the aesthetic style, and the limitation of the value concepts. Similarly, in research, issues such as the mechanical application of identity and ethnicity theory, outdated methodologies, and the lack of paradigm shifts have all become bottlenecks in the future development of ethnic minority literature in China.

We may easily find certain patterns in the creation of ethnic minority literature since the late 1990s: history-themed works often adopt the individualistic view of history formed by new historicist novels, replacing the previous history of arduous revolutionary and liberation with the history of family, of emotion, and of life. By linking ethnicity with locality, these works construct narratives that are opposite to those of the Chinese nation, thereby severing the connection between specific ethnic groups and the broader national historical process and creating an imaginary pattern of closed narrative.

Realist works often focus on the impact of modernity on the traditions of ethnic minorities in frontier areas, characterized by the urban-rural dichotomy. In these works, rural areas, ethnic groups, kinship, and communal ties are often portrayed as victims of modernization, and the emotional structure center on nostalgia for the old culture on one hand, and resentment and melancholy toward the new culture on the other. Film and literature, as well as poetry, often indiscriminately embrace certain outdated elements, leading to the creation of stereotypical landscapes and literary images with stale ideas and contents. As a result, the real social problems of ethnic minorities are largely reduced to cultural problems, and culture is reduced to a dying "tradition" without contemporary relevance. Such literary works represent a narrow imagination, detached from the broader reality and life, and thereby unconsciously echo the ideas of Orientalism.

In essence, these issues are rooted in the "diminishment" of worldviews and values. From its inception, Chinese ethnic minority literature has never existed in isolation from the broader historical process. As contemporaries, ethnic minorities and the Han people share the same societal, technological, and everyday challenges. Their consciousness, experiences, emotions, and expressions should not be restricted by a specific ethnic identity, which is created in history, evolves over time, or may also disappear in history. Presenting ethnic identity and culture as static, defined by fixed characteristics, fundamentally contradicts the dynamic nature of historical evolution.

Certainly, when viewed dialectically, specific ethnic groups have unique historical trajectories, cultural traditions, religious customs, and various life rituals, all of which are intricately linked to their local environments. However, these connections must also be understood in the broader context of fluidity.

Cultural pluralism, with its stagnant perspective, turns diversity into a passive and negative force. If Chinese ethnic minority literature were to use cultural pluralism as its benchmark, it would result in mere quantitative accumulation with little qualitative transformation, leading to a diminished presence in the broader literary ecosystem. While influential works may begin with the detailed depiction of individual people, events, objects, and emotions, they should not be content with remaining at that level; instead, they should ultimately strive to convey universal human experiences and thoughts. Moreover, they should have the ability to address the major issues of our times. This ability is the true source of confidence in Chinese ethnic minority literature.

The author is Liu Daxian, professor at the School of Chinese Language and Literature, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Liu Xian /Editor    Hu Min /Translator

Yang Xinhua /Chief Editor    Ren Qiang /Coordinator

Liu Li /Reviewer

Zhang Weiwei /Copyeditor    Tan Yujie /Image Editor

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