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Kritika Kultura

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1199-4840

Abstract

This study investigates how Ethical Literary Criticism—a Chinese-originated theoretical paradigm developed by Nie Zhenzhao—has been transmitted to, localized within, and advanced by the Malaysian scholarly community. Drawing on archival research, bibliometric surveying, and close reading, the article first reconstructs a multi-layered network of transmission pathways that includes returning Malaysian post-graduates from Chinese universities, the importation of foundational Ethical Literary Criticism texts, sustained coverage in bi-lingual academic journals, and participation in international conferences such as those organized by the International Association for Ethical Literary Criticism. It then analyzes the reception of Ethical Literary Criticism in Malaysia, showing how scholars adapt core concepts like “ethical selection,” the “Sphinx factor,” and “ethical taboo” to the country’s multicultural and multi-religious context, often in dialogue with post-colonial and cultural studies frameworks. Through an in-depth case study of Florence Kuek’s pioneering work on Han Suyin’s six-volume autobiographical series, the research demonstrates how Ethical Literary Criticism has evolved from theoretical importation to sophisticated localized practice. Kuek’s innovative contributions include the introduction of legitimacy/illegitimacy binary concepts and the consciousness spiral framework, which expand Ethical Literary Criticism’s analytical vocabulary and demonstrate its cross-cultural applicability. The analysis reveals how Ethical Literary Criticism provides unique insights into ethical identity construction, moral choice-making, and the relationship between individual consciousness and historical circumstances. This study contributes to understanding how Chinese literary theory can be successfully adapted and developed within Southeast Asian academic contexts while maintaining theoretical rigor and cultural sensitivity.

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