Abstract:
Geertz’s “local knowledge” and regional culture studies is likely owing to certain defects between the two patterns of cultural study and corresponding views of literary study. “Local knowledge” regards literature as a system of cultural symbols and emphasizes explicating the text by “deep description” and other cultural means to present the connection between formation of each kind of knowledge and particular cultural situation. Meanwhile, Geertz insists on observing culture from “a cultureholder’s internal perspective” and stresses “subjective participation” of the text interpreter. From this angel, Shaanxi culture as “local knowledge” involves both historical “traditions” of its formation and offers the particular context for its formation to capture by “deep description”. In this sense, literature to Shaanxi culture can be taken as textual symbols of the culture as local knowledge. This done, we can expand the domain of influence of Shaanxi culture and highlight its value of localized aesthetic experience.
