Abstract: African English Literature, viewed as the core of Western studies of African literatures, has often been treated as the auxiliary part of British and American literature, especially the former, and labelled as part of “Commonwealth,” “Postcolonial,” and “New English” Literature. Moreover, the relevant studies have always been confined to the Western perspective, cultural identity, and aesthetic sentiments and enshrouded in the Western discourse. Under the sway of various Western critical discourses, such as postcolonial theory, Western scholars define, demarcate, filter, interpret and hence construct African English literature, expressing too much concern about the political factors, historical causes, and cultural implications in its literary works, and weaving a single imagination about “blackness” and “Africanness” virtually based on their own notion of Otherness. A clear understanding of this point is essential to our effort in breaking the bonds of Western discourse, observing, fairly and objectively, the denotation and connotation of African English literature from the perspective of Chinese literature and culture, and restoring the real style and spirit of African literature and culture.

Key words: African English literature, Western discourse, blackness, Africanness, otherization