Abstract: Developed in France in the 1960s, classical narratology is mainly rooted in Western narrative. Western scholars' narrative theory and narrative practice are largely confined within the scope of Western Europe and North America. Against this backdrop, Chinese scholars need to retrospect and examine their national narrative traditions. In doing so, it is possible to map the developments of Chinese and Western narrative theories with their respective traditions on the one hand, and to reveal the conflicts and interactions of Chinese and Western narrative theories on the other hand. The project of comparing Chinese and Western narrative traditions attempts to help Chinese scholars to deepen their understandings of Chinese narrative tradition and to develop a more encompassing and universal narrative theory. To realize this overarching aim, this paper suggests breaking down the barriers between Chinese narratology and Western narratology, extending the scope of analysis to all sub-strands and categories of narrative, and exploring fundamental factors that produce differences between Chinese and Western narrative traditions.

Key words: comparison of China and the West, narrative traditions, audial narrative