The Rise of Semio-Narratology

Abstract Yiheng Zhao is an eminent scholar of narratology and semiotics and a distinguished professor at Sichuan University. In this interview, Professor Zhao describes how semio-narratology is rising in China. He talks about his lifelong studies of form, including narratology, semiotics, and the theory of meaning, which can be called his “meaning trilogy,” corresponding to his three books, A general narratology, Semiotics, and Philosophical semiotics: The coming into being of the world of meaning. Zhao especially introduces his insightful ideas on the development of narratology and social semiotics and how he applies semiotic theory to narratology to build the interdisciplinary discipline of a general narratology, aka semio-narratology. Meanwhile Professor Zhao also shares his research methods and experience. He believes that scholars have to keep making breakthroughs and innovations and each make their own way.