郭建：InSearchofanUnconscious：Jac

　　Failingtofetchmeatfirstkeepencouraged，
　　Missingmeoneplacesearchanother，
　　Istopsomewherewaitingforyou。
　　WaltWhitman
　　DidtheChinesehaveanunconscious？ThequestionoccupiedthemindofJacquesLacaninlate1973andearly1974ashewasbrushinguphisknowledgeoftheChineselanguageforamuchanticipatedtriptoChinainthecompanyofPhilippeSollers，RolandBarthes，JuliaKristeva，MarcelinPleynet，andFranoisWahl。〔1〕ItwasatripfromwhichLacaneventuallydecidedtowithdraw。
　　By“anunconscious”LacanperhapsmeantaChinesecounterpartofFreud’orrather，aChinesemirrorimageofLacan’sownreformulationoftheFreudiandiscovery。Itwouldbeanawarenessofthatdarkandmysteriousrecessmoreauthenticandtruerofourbeingthanthewelllightedspaceofrationalthoughtwithinourpsyche，anditwouldbeaspeculationonthatelusivebeastlurkingbehindeverythingwesayanddobutultimatelybeyondthegraspofourlinguisticallyconstitutedconsciousness。Language，inLacan’sview，isboththeconditionfortheunconsciousandtheonlymeansbywhichwemaytrytounderstandtheunconscious。However，inseekingtograsptheunconscious，weloseit。So，challengingtheCartesianassertionofthecentralityofhumanconsciousness“Cogitoergosum”（“Itherefore，Iam”）Lacanquipped，andmeantit，too，“IthinkwhereIthereforeIamwhereIdonotthink。”〔2〕
　　Lacan’ssearchactuallystartedmuchearlier。DuringtheOccupation，Lacan，hatingoppressionbutalsoscornfulofheroism（oftheundergroundresistance），refusedtopublishasinglelineandseemedtodecidetobeproductiveinanotherway：hereadtheKingJamesBible，translatedT。S。Eliot，andlearnedChineseattheSchoolofOrientalLanguagesinParis。〔3〕By1953whenhedeliveredtheseminal“discourseofRome”entitled“FunctionandFieldofSpeechandLanguageinPsychoanalysis，”heapparentlyhadmanagedtoacquainthimselfwithsomeChineseclassics，includingtheBookofChanges（周易），andseemedtobeabletounderstandtheessentiallypictophonetic（ratherthanpictographicorideographic，asoftenmisunderstood）natureoftheChineselanguage。Inacrucialpassageonthebirthoflanguageandtheorderofthingshighlightingthemajorthesisofthelecture，LacanenvisionsaremarkableparallelbetweentheFreudianspeculationontheinfantcriesof（theGerman）“fort”and“da”ontheonehandandtheChineseconstructionofthesignsofyinandyangontheother：
　　ThroughthewordalreadyapresencemadeofabsenceabsenceitselfgivesitselfanameinthatmomentoforiginwhoseperpetualrecreationFreud’sgeniusdetectedintheplayofthechild。AndfromthispairofsoundsmodulatedonpresenceandabsenceacouplingthatthetracinginthesandofthesingleandthebrokenlineofthemantickwaofChinawouldalsoservetoconstitutethereisborntheworldofmeaningofaparticularlanguageinwhichtheworldofthingswillcometobearranged。〔4〕
　　Thispassage，alongwiththeassertionsthatimmediatelyfollowaboutthewordasthetraceofnothingnessdelineating，andthereforebringingintobeing，notonlytheworldofthingsbuthumanityitself，wastoinspirethelikesofFoucaultandDerrida，bothattendeesofLacan’swellknownseminar，intheirrebellionagainstenlightenmenthumanism。
　　Inthelate1960s，asmanyFrenchstudents，includinghispupilsassociatedwiththejournalLesCahierspourl’analyse，werespellboundbyChina’songoingGreatProletarianCulturalRevolutionandwerewagingwarsagainstbourgeoisinstitutionsinFrance，LacanagainimmersedhimselfinastudyofthelanguageandphilosophyofChina。ThatwasatimewhenanumberofleadingFrenchintellectuals，SartreandFoucaultamongthem，wereallinfatuatedbyradicalMaoism。Lacan’sinterestinthingsChinese，though，didnotseemtopical：hewasatthetimeworkingouthistheoryofdiscourseonthebasisofWittgenstein’sdistinctionbetweensayingandshowing，andmusthaveseentherelevanceofChinesethoughttotheproject。〔5〕HesoughthelpfromthesinologistFranoisCheng，particularlywithregardtothewaysinwhichChinesephilosophymightaidhiminwritingthetopographyofthereal，thesymbolic，andtheimaginary（theR。S。I，theLacaniantrinityofthehumanpsyche）。AtextLacanwasworkingonextensivelywithChengwassection42oftheLaozi：“Thetaobegetsone。Onebegetstwo。Twobegetsthree。Threebegetstenthousandthings。。。”Cheng’sexpertisehadbecomesoindispensabletoLacan’stheoreticalventureofthemomentthatin1973whenChengstoppedworkingwithhisdemandingfriendinordertowriteabook，Lacanfeltratherdesperate：“Butwhat’sgoingtobecomeofme？”hesaidtoCheng。
　　〔6〕Eventually，LacanmadeuseofTaoisminanewdefinitionoftherealwithintheframeworkofanoddandobscureLacanianquasimathematicformulacalledthetheoryofknots，towhichLacandevotedthelasttenyearsofhislife。〔7〕
　　However，theextenttowhichLacanbenefitedfromhisfouryearsofworkwiththehelpofChengonclassicalChinesetextsishardtomeasureashard，perhaps，asanyeffortonthepartofcriticsandscholarstountietheknotsofthelateLacaniantheory。Attheveryheartofthistheoryistheimageofacertain“Borromeanknot，”theideographofthetheoryasonemaycallit，withthreeperfectlycircularringsmutuallyinterlockedandarrangedintheshapeofacloverleaf。Visually，whatwouldbeamoreperfectreflectionoftheLacaniantrinityoftheR。S。I。？Lacan，whobelieveddialoguetobenothingotherthanthejuxtapositionofmonologues，wasparticularlysensitivetoechoesofhisowngenius，whichhemighthaveconvincedhimselftohaveheardinsection42oftheLaozi。〔8〕
　　WhilehisjourneyintoancientChinaendedabruptlywiththewithdrawalofhispasseur，Lacan’ssearchforaChineseunconscioustookanunexpectedturnwhenhereadMariaAntoniettaMacciocchi’sbookDelaChine，whichhadbeenagreatsuccessamongFrenchintellectualssinceitspublicationinlate1971。HedecidedtoresumeChineselessonsimmediately，thinkingofarealjourneyintotherealChina。“WouldyouliketogotoChinawithme，mydear？”LacanaskedwhenhemetMacciocchi。“You’renotinterested？You’reabitdoubtful？Bringyourhusband，andyou’llhavenothingtoworryabout！”〔9〕InresponsetoMacciocchi’spuzzlementoverthe“crazeforChina”thathadseizedtheParisintelligentsia，Lacanexplainedthatafterthesupposedlysocialistrevolution，thestructureofcapitalismwasrebuiltintheUSSRandinEasternEuropeand“nothinghaschanged，”hesaid。“That’swhypeoplearesokeenonChina，mydear。”〔10〕Despitethesewords，echoingtheperceptionsoftheGaucheproltarienne（GP，asmallbutprestigiousFrenchpoliticalorganizationthatembracedMaoism），Lnordidhespeakuponconviction。Rather，hisliberalism，politicalskepticism，andFreudianpessimismallowedhimtoviewtheFrenchversionofChina’sCulturalRevolutionwithbothsympathyandamusement。Inlate1969inanamphitheaterattheUniversityofParisVIIIVincennes，hetoldhisaudience，“Asrevolutionaries，whatyoulongforisamaster。You’llgetone。。。I’monlyaliberal，likeeveryoneelse，insofarasI’mantiprogressive。”〔11〕
　　Nevertheless，LacanseemedquiteanxioustoseetherevolutionaryChina。AsidefromthequestforapossibleChineseunconscious，hisbiographerRoudinescospeculates，LacanprobablyalsowantedtodiscussthematterpersonallywithChairmanMaoZedongtheGreatHelmsmanknowntotheFrenchintellectualsasafoundingfather，arebel，aleader，andaphilosopher，too。〔12〕Consideringhisowncareer，hisachievements，andhisenormousprestigeaswellasnotorietyintheinternationalcommunityofpsychoanalysts，LacanmayfindtheChairmananirresistiblemirrorimageofhimselfthathemusthavefoundithardtoturnaway。Indeed，thevogueofMaoismlafranaisewasaformidablerivaltotheLacanianismthathadbeenacontinuousrevolutioninthenameofFreudunderDr。Lacan’shelsmanshipeversinceheandhisdisciplesbrokeupwiththeInternationalPsychoAnalyticalAssociationandformedtheirowngroupin1953。Inthelate1960s，Lacan’spupilsconnectedtoLesCahierspourl’analysebothstudentsandyoungfaculty，includingLacan’sdaughterJudithandsoninlawJacquesAlainMillerbegantodesertthemasterandhisbourgeoisauthorityfortheMaoistcauseoftheGaucheproltarienne，whoproclaimedasoneoftheiraimsto“destroytheuniversity”asabourgeoisinstitution。Annoyedbythedesertion，Lacanrespondedwithanoutburstofarevolutionary：“Therevolution，c’estmoi。。。。Youaremakingmyrevolutionimpossibleandtakingawaymydisciples。”〔13〕
　　AsLacanwasconsideringtheChinatrip，PhilippeSollers，organizerofthedelegationtoChina，eagerlyurgedhimtojoin。SollerspridedhimselfonhisthoroughgoingMaoismandwouldnothaveanyoneemergeonhisleft。ThiswasthetimewhenanoddpoliticalcampaignagainstConfuciuswasunderwayinChina。Theimplicit，butreal，targetwasPremierZhouEnlai。Thetacticwasknownlateras“allusoryhistoriography。”Watchingthedubiousbattleatadistanceandtakingtheghostfortherealthing，Sollersfinallyopenedfire，fromhisofficeontherueJacob（theheadquartersofthereviewTelquel，ofwhichSollerswasthefounderandeditor），atthethoughtofConfucius。HethoughtthatbytakingLacantoChinahewouldmakeanothersignificantcontributiontotheworldrevolution：namely，“breakingtheobjectivealliancebetweenLacanianismandrevisionism。
　　”〔14〕Lacan，however，stilldidnotseemtohavemadeuphismind。Hemadearequest：hewantedtomeetsomeChinese。Subsequently，hehadtwomeetings
　　AdinnerwasarrangedatLaCalchewithMariaAntoniettaandtwoyoungmenfromtheChineseembassydressedinblueandwearingofficialbadges。ThecampaignagainstConfuciuswasraginginChinaatthattime，soLacanlaunchedintorhapsodiesaboutConfucianismandsaiditwasoneoftheworld’sgreatestphilosophies。Hequotedclassicaltextstohisguests，whoweretakenabackbutinfavorofhisgoingtoChina。
　　OnemorningadelegationfromtheChineseembassyarrivedintheruedeLilleinanofficialcarcompletewithalittleflag。ThedelegationbroughtLacanapassportforhimandhisofficialmistress，accompaniedbyatributefromtheGreatHelmsman。InexchangeLacanhandedoveraninscribedcopyofthecritsfortheInstituteofSciencesinPeking。〔15〕
　　TheaccountoftheChinesediplomats’visittoLacanwasgivenbynoneotherthanSollers，whohadbeendreamingofagreatheadline，“LacanchezMao，”andpossiblyaddressingthegreatquestionofaChineseunconscious！〔16〕Yet，whatdid“atributefromtheGreatHelmsman”exactlymean？Onecannothelpwondering。Sollersmusthavefelt，orjustwantedotherstofeel，thathehadmadeeffortsandpulledoffhisplan。
　　But，threedaysafterthediplomats’visit，LacanwenttotheChineseembassyinParisandcancelledhisChinatrip。HetelephonedMariaAntoniettaMacciocchionthatday：“Mydear，Iwouldhavebeendelightedtogojustwithyou，butasthingsstanditwillbeasortofprocession。PerhapswithSollersyes，he’smorefamousthanIambut。。。”〔17〕Then，Telquel，withwhichtherestofthedelegationtoChina（Sollers，Barthes，Kristeva，etc。）werecloselyassociated，issuedastatementconcerningLacan’swithdrawal：
　　HewastocomewithustoChina。It’sapitythat，ashehimselfputitinhisapology，hedidnothavetimetoworkupenoughChinese，beforehisdeparture，forthat。WewouldhavelikedtoseeLacandiscussthings，unprepared，withthepopulation。Theexperiencewouldhavebeeninteresting。ItistruethatLacanhadbeguntohaveconcernsaboutthecampaignagainstConfuciusandthefactthatthelatterwasbeingpresentedastheideologueofslaveryinChina。Butcouldacritiqueofthe“willofheaven，”“innateknowledge，”and“amoderationinordertoreturntorites”shockanestablishedpsychoanalyst？Perhaps。〔18〕
　　WhatevertherealcauseofLacan’sdecisiontopulloutofthetripbasedonhisownapology，orMariaAntonietta’sjournalentry，orsomeothersourcesandhowevertrivialitmightbe，theintendedironyattheendoftheTelquelstatementisquiteoffthemark。First，theAnalectsquotingLacan，asshowyashewas，mightbeatthesametimesincereenoughinhisdefenseoftheChinesesagewhentheParisianpoliticaltidewasgoingtheotherway，withhispupils，evenhisdaughterandsoninlaw，ridingonit。AndbetweenanoldfashionedOrientalismcherishingatimetestedtraditionoftheOtherandafashionableOrientalismParisianstylemimickingaculturetrashingpoliticalpropagandaof，again，theOther，thechoice，ifithastobemade，isnothard。Second，thoughLacan’sknowledgeofConfucianismmightbequitelimited，forthetheoristandteacheroftheunconsciousfightingalifelongQuixoticbattlefora“retour”Freudagainsttheformidableenemiesofbiologismandbehavioralscience，Confucius，thoughforeignandremoteintime，mightnotbeentirelyOther。LacanmighthaveknownwellConfuciusthescholarwho，withthemagicofallegoricalreading，transformeddivinationintophilosophy。HemighthavespottedConfuciustheteacherwhoseseminarsattractedbrilliantmindsandwhocommandedanenviablefollowingamongcompetingschools。AndhemighthaveenvisionedConfuciusthephilosopherofformwho，inritesandrituals，namesandwords，sawthecreationoforderandthemandateofheaven。Inaword，acontemporaryCulturalRevolutionarycritiqueofConfuciuswouldshockLacan。SoLacan’searlierexcursionintoTaoismwas，ashisbiographermayhaverightlysurmised，just“anotherwayofrespondingtohispupilsfromLesCahierspourl’analyseandtheirengagementwithMaoism。”〔19〕AndsowashiswithdrawalfromthemuchanticipatedChinatrip，perhaps。
　　ForatleastmorethanfouryearsLacanhadbeenwonderingiftheChinesehadanunconscious。JustimagineDr。Lacanonthebackofadonkeysearching。。。whiletheobjectremainedforeverelusivetohim。Perhapsitdidnotexistasthesignified。Orperhapsitdid。Thensurelyitkeptslidingundertheunknownsignifiersupreme。Inanycase，thesearchseemedtocometoastopwhenLacanbackedoutofthetriptoChinain1974。Someyearslater，whenLacanmetFranoisChengagain，hespeculatedaboutthe“breaks”hisfriendmusthaveexperiencedlivinginexile。
　　ThenLacanofferedacompliment：“Butyou’vebeenable，haven’tyou，toturnthesebreaksintoanactivemedianvoidandtolinktogetheryourpresentandyourpast，theWestandtheEast。Intheendyou’llbeyouarealready，Iknowinyourtime。”（The“medianvoid，”ortheFrench“videmdian，”isaratheroddtranslationoftheChinese沖氣or中氣，fromsection42oftheLaozi，meaningliterally“blendingthebreath〔ofyinandyang〕”。）〔20〕IfdialogueisindeeddeceptionasLacaninsisted，thenwhatwehearisLacan’smonologueprojectinghisowndream，andaratherniceone，too，despitehisanxietyoverbreaksanddifferences。SomewhereinthebackgroundintheLacanianfieldofdreams，afigureintheformofanideogrammicalgorithmmightbebeckoningahugequestionmark（intheplaceofSIGNIFIER）overasmall“cu”（Chineseunconsciousassignified）withahorizontalbarseparatingthetwolikethis：〔21〕
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　　Aninterestingcomplementaryquestionis，however：DidtheFrenchalsohaveayinandayangtoblendandbreathe？
　　〔1〕ElisabethRoudinesco，JacquesLCo。：AHistoryofPsychoanalysisinFrance，19251985，trans。JeffreyMehlman（Chicago：UniversityofChicagoPress，1990），p。545。
　　〔2〕JacquesLacan，crits：ASelection，trans。AlanSheridan（London：Tavistock，1977），p。166。
　　〔3〕ElisabethRoudinesco，JacquesLacan，trans。BarbaraBray（NewYork：ColumbiaUniversityPress，1997），pp。15859；351。
　　〔4〕JacquesLacan，crits：ASelection，p。65。
　　〔5〕Roudinesco，JacquesLacan，p。351。
　　〔6〕FranoisCheng，“EntretienavecJudithMiller，”L’Ane48（December1991）：54。QuotedinRoudinesco，JacquesLacan，p。352。
　　〔7〕Roudinesco，ibid。，pp。35152。
　　〔8〕ForLacan’sideathatdialogueisdeception，seeFranoiseGiroud’saccountofLacan’sMay15，1968seminarinanarticleinL’Express，entitled“Quandl’autretaitdieu”（“WhentheOtherwasGod”），reproducedinRevueinternationaled’histoiredelapsychanalyse5（1992）。SeealsoRoudinesco，JacquesLacan，p。337。
　　〔9〕UnpublishedjournalofMariaAntoniettaMacciocchi。QuotedinRoudinesco，JacquesLacan，p。353。
　　〔10〕Ibid。
　　〔11〕JacquesLacan，SeminarXVII，239。QuotedinRoudinesco，JacquesLacan，p。342。SeealsoRoudinesco，JacquesLCo。，pp。55280。
　　〔12〕Roudinesco，JacquesLCo。，p。545。
　　〔13〕HervHamonandPatrickRotman，Gnration，vol。2（Paris：Seuil，1988）：182。QuotedinRoudinesco，JacquesLacan，p。238。
　　〔14〕Roudinesco，JacquesLCo。，pp。54445。
　　〔15〕Roudinesco，JacquesLacan，p。353。
　　〔16〕Roudinesco，JacquesLCo。，p。545。
　　〔17〕Roudinesco，JacquesLacan，p。354。
　　〔18〕Telquel59（1974）：7。QuotedinRoudinesco，JacquesLCo。，p。545。
　　〔19〕Roudinesco，JacquesLacan，p。351。
　　〔20〕FranoisCheng，“EntretienavecJudithMiller，”p。54。QuotedinRoudinesco，ibid。，352。The“medianvoid，”ortheFrench“videmdian，”translatestheChinese沖氣（or中氣，accordingtothe馬王堆甲本oftheLaozi）intheline萬物負陰而抱陽沖氣以為和fromsection42oftheLaozi。Thephrasemeansliterally“neutralize（ormoderate，orblend）theqi（breathorair，ofyinandyang）。”Thelinemaybetranslatedas“tenthousandthings〔thatis，everythingintheuniverse〕carryyinontheirbacksandembraceyangintheirarmsandareharmonizedbytheblendingofthebreath（ofyinandyang）。”
　　〔21〕Thealgorithm“Sovers，”whichLacanattributedtoFerdinanddeSaussureandwhichheidentifiedasthefoundationoflinguisticscience，isreadas“thesignifieroverthesignified。”SeeLacan，“AgencyoftheLetterintheUnconsciousorReasonsinceFreud”incrits：ASelection，pp。14678。