Theme: “Wen 文, the Chinese Pattern of Meaning: Representation, Perspective, and Diversity”
The multiplicity of meanings of wen 文 is inspirational to Chinese studies. The term is polysemous, with many meanings—natural markings, cultural practices, civil institutions, education, refinement, elegance, writing, literature, etc. Various meanings of wen share something in common: pattern. In his Shuowen jiezi 說文解字, Xu Shen 許慎 (58-147) stated: “Wen consists of intersectant strokes, representing a criss-cross pattern.” The pattern of “criss-cross” of wen works at all levels. Disparate things come to criss-cross where they weigh out qualities. Linguistic symbols are combined to criss-cross at the point where meanings are performed. Literary images are continuously reassembled and criss-cross at the point where poetry stands out. Throughout the history of the text, when all approaches to the master sign of meaning (yi, 義)—representation, perspective, and alienation—come to criss-cross with the Chinese mind, the Chinese pattern is called into being.
“多棱解讀中國之文：角度 、再現與歧異”
識文字、誦詩文、習文化……文，呈現中國人對天地、人生的精誠體認。文者，爻雜之紋也。萬物有紋理，人心有波紋，生命之美須有紋飾。認知極簡樸，圖式卻極精美，于是有典章制度、錦繡文章、天地經緯。文體有常，變文無方。模式沒有定數，變通無窮無盡，于是又有多元角度、再現紛呈、歧異競彩。文之爲德也大矣。