“文学”这个概念是人类古已有之的,而“世界文学”这个观念并非是人类古已有之的。只是在1827年,伟大的歌德才提出了“世界文学”这个观念。这距今已经172年了。只是在1848年,马克思、恩格斯才在不朽的《共产党宣言》里创造性地提出了关于“世界文学”的极其深刻的学说。这距今也已151年了。在人类快进入必将发生重大社会变迁的21世纪的前夕,回顾一百多年来西方、东方是怎样看待“世界文学”的,这应该是 The concept of “literature” is ancient to mankind, and the notion of “world literature” is not ancient to mankind. It was only in 1827 that the great Goethe put forward the notion of “world literature.” It’s been 172 years now. Only in 1848 did Marx and Engels creatively present an extremely profound theory of “world literature” in the immortal “Communist Manifesto.” It is now 151 years old. On the eve of the 21st century when humankind enters the major social changes that will surely occur, it is worth recalling how the East viewed “world literature” for more than a hundred years