"Irrational yet Marvellous": the aesthetics of inner vision in Gao Xingjian's fiction and plays

Lyu, Bo

"Irrational yet Marvellous": the aesthetics of inner vision in Gao Xingjian's fiction and plays

Thesis / Dissertation

2026

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of English Language and Literature

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

This study examines Inner Vision as a fundamental literary-aesthetic form in the works of Gao Xingjian. Inner Vision is neither a conventional narrative strategy, nor a purely aesthetic device; rather, it represents a mode of literary perception that dissolves rigid temporal, spatial and language boundaries, allowing multiple realities to coexist within a single text. While Gao's work has been widely analysed through the lens of Western modernist, postmodernist, exile and diasporic frameworks, this study argues that such approaches remain inadequate for fully capturing the nuances of his literary contribution. By situating Inner Vision within both Chinese literary traditions and Western spatial-temporal theories, the thesis offers a new analytical framework that transcends the limitations of existing interpretations. This research examines Gao Xingjian's work through the lens of Inner Vision, combining close textual analysis with critiques of his major novels (One Man's Bible, and Soul Mountain) and plays (including Bus Stop, The Other Shore, and his French Trilogy). It also incorporates theoretical insights from both Western and Chinese literary traditions, drawing on inspirations such as Mikhail Bakhtin's chronotope, Henri Lefebvre's social space, and Homi Bhabha's thirdspace, alongside classical Chinese literary-aesthetic philosophies. The study further engages with Gao's own theoretical writings, interviews, and reflections on art, particularly his integration of Daoist and Zen Buddhist elements. Through this interdisciplinary methodology, the thesis showcases how Inner Vision functions across different texts, interacting with spatiality, temporality, narratology, and aesthetics. These four aspects are examined in the four main chapters of this study. The findings demonstrate that Inner Vision in Gao Xingjian's work serves as a bridge between Eastern and Western artistic traditions – not by conforming to either, but by creating an alternative mode of representation where perception, rather than plot or historical realism, dictates the textual aesthetic experience. The study concludes that Gao's works are best understood through the lens of Inner Vision, where meaning is constructed through the reader's or viewer's engagement with shifting perspectives and immersive, subjective landscapes. By applying Inner Vision as a critical concept, this research offers a new understanding of Gao's contribution to contemporary world literature, and enriches broader discussions on spatial and temporal aesthetics in narrative form.

Keywords

inner vision

gao xingjian

Reference:

Collections

PhD / Doctoral

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