Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1979

from the Chinese Department, English Department and the Comparative Literature and Translation Centre. The six sessions of the Conference were made up of five seminars and one colloqium: 1. ‘East-West Comparative Literature: A n Inquiry into Possibilities' Chairman: Professor Limin Chu Speaker: Dr. Heh-hsiang Yuan Discussants: Professor Horst Frenz Professor Dominic Cheung 2. ‘Andersstreben: Conceptions of Media and Intermedia' Chairman: Mr. John Gannon Speaker: Professor Wai-lim Yip Discussants: Dr. Yun-tong Luk Dr. William Tay 3. ‘Strength and Weakness of Marxist Literary Criticism' Chairman: Professor Robert Ruhlmann Speaker: Professor Douwe Fokkema Discussants: Dr. Gaylord Leung Professor Donald Wesling 4. ‘Towards a Structural Generic Theory of T'ang Ch'uan-ch'i' Chairman: Professor Chien Hou Speaker: Dr. Han-liang Chang Discussants: Professor Ch'iu-lang Chi Professor Elrud Ibsch Professor Andre Lefevere 5. 'Linguistic and Mythical Readings of Hsing as a Combinational Model' Chairman: Dr. Philip Sun Speaker: Dr. Ying-hsiung Chou Discussants: Dr. Ping-leung Chan Dr. Shu-hsien Liu 6. Colloqium Participants: Dr. John Deeney (Coordinator) Professor A. Owen Aldridge Dr. W. L. Wong All the papers, discussants' reports and other reference materials will be edited and collected for future publication. Following the concluding reports given by Professor Chien Hou and Professor Horst Frenz, Mr. Stephen C. Soong, Director of the Comparative Literature and Translation Centre, closed the Conference with a note of thanks to all participants. Opening Address by the Vice-Chancellor Friends and colleagues, I take great pleasure in welcoming you to The Chinese University of Hong Kong for the occasion of the Conference on East- West Comparative Literature. As a scientist, m y role here is less participation than congratulation; as an educator who oversees, with the assistance of many able hands, the day-to- day operation of an institution of higher learning in implementing its educational goal, I am ， in spirit, a humanist and thus share with you the interest in advancing the cause of human understanding. Often superficial observation of the distinction between the discipline of humanities and that of science is that the former focuses its attention on the abstract and philosophical, and the latter on the concret and real. Sir Francis Bacon used the fable of the Sphinx to illustrate the dichotomy between the two disciplines, and to demonstrate how one solved the problems raised by the other. The physical appearance of the Sphinx 一 with the face and voice of a virgin, the wings of a bird, the claws of a griffin—implies the beauty and charm of science when first confron the freedom it may bring when properly mastered, and the terror it threatens when out of control. Such a creature of diametrically opposed possibilities was finally conquered by Oedipus, the proto-man, who, having solved the riddle of the Sphinx, became king of a nation. The twofold condition attached to the riddle suggests (a) distraction and laceration of mind, if one fails to solve it, (b) a kingdom if one succeeds. The story brings out the mutual dependency of science and humanities, and shows two kinds of concerns: one concerning the nature of things and the other concerning the nature of man; and the mastery over both promises man his kingdom. By such affinity between the two disciplines, I feel a certain kinship with you. There is another meaningful connection between a scientist and a humanist; they all share the same loyalty—to solve the problem of misunderstand The scientist brings man understanding of his world; the humanist, of man. It is through the c mbined efforts of both that a more livable world is made possible. This brings us still closer to each other. I also feel the particular meaningfulness of holding the East-West Comparative Literature Conferenc at our University site as the University claims itself to function as the cultural exchanging ground between the East and the West. M ay the success of your conference be symbolic of the East and the West through mutual understanding and cooperation. Thank you.