形象学从比较文学中异国形象的研究发展而来,其在比较文学中界定的研究范畴主要是“对异国形象或描述的研究”。不过形象本身是一个更具普适化的概念,在当代传媒社会中更远远超出文学艺术中的“异国形象”范畴。在符号学视域下,形象作为“符号印象感知”的界定指向一个更具宏阔的形象意涵。此一意涵的廓清提供了“普适形象学”的基础,而普适的当下意义,是形象问题已经转变为基于当代传媒文化的广义文学文本中一种有关符号印象的形式规律研究,其对象涵涉社会文化中一切可作为独立对象的认知单元。
Imagology originated from Comparative Literature.It mostly explores the exotic figure and image in literary works.Over nearly a century,image has become a universal concept,which,in today?s media society,has far exceeded the category of exotic image as depicted in literature and arts. From the perspective of Semiotics,the paper attempts to look into a kind of universal imagology, which,the paper proposes,should be applied to today?s text,not only literature but also all types of mass media contexts of independent social subj ects.