The traditional concept of literature is based on the presupposition that literature is a way to know the world, and the cognitive function is the most basic function of literature. What literature should solve is how to understand reality, so criticism and theory should naturally pay attention to the writer-reality, which is the core problem. This epistemological view of meaning holds that the meaning of literary works is the original intention and original meaning given by the author in the works, and this original intention and original meaning is the product of the influence of the times when the works are produced. Therefore, the interpretation of literature should first consider the background of the times when the works were produced, and then study the author's life (life experience, class position, political attitude, creative background, etc.). ), and then enter the work to find the original intention of the author in the work. This is the most common way to ensure the objectivity of understanding works. For a long time, the view that the meaning of literary works is the author's original intention has been taken for granted and has unquestionable authority.

However, after the linguistic theory of contemporary philosophy turns, we have to question the presupposition of traditional epistemology's literary view from the perspective of language ontology: is the meaning of literary works the author's original intention? Is it possible to find or completely reproduce the author's original intention in the reading (interpretation and understanding) of literature? Therefore, is it necessary for literature to pursue the author's original intention of "burying" in his works?

In literary works, the author certainly embodies his original intention. Any author always wants to say something and express something to people in his works. This is the foothold of the author-centered criticism based on the research of the theory of creation and the theory of writers, and the basic framework of social and political criticism that China has been pursuing for a long time, which is reasonable and partially true. However, this literary theory regulates literature with the epistemological model of reflection theory and reflected theory, and regards the relationship between reality and author as the only proposition covering all literary relations. The theory of imitation, representation, expression, tendency and authenticity of literature are all stipulated and determined by the "reality-author" relationship of this epistemological model. Literature is only a way to know the world, a tool of social struggle, and can only be subordinate to politics. Therefore, the text world, reader world and reading activities of literature have not entered the problem domain of this literary paradigm in essence, so literature and language, literature and existence, literature and meaning, literature and history are simplified as the relationship between author and reality in the mode of reflection theory and reflection. Starting from the instrumental theory of mechanical reflection theory, this theory naturally gives readers the cognitive ability to reproduce the author's original intention when pushing the principle of creation theory to the relationship of reading theory. In this way, the author's understanding of reality is transformed into a problem for readers to understand reality through works. If the reader's understanding in literary reading does not reproduce the author's original intention, it is only because the reader has not mastered the correct method and the method is incompetent. As long as the appropriate method is found, the original intention can of course be objectively reproduced.

There is a deep misunderstanding in traditional literary theory here. It equates literary works with general objects, and regards literary reading as a process of reflection theory that is no different from the reflection of objects. The meaning of literary works is the mineral deposits or "cultural relics" buried in the works, waiting for archaeological excavation, or as a potential mystery, waiting for readers to reveal. In short, the meaning lies in understanding, which is stored in the works by the author. This epistemological model of mechanical materialism not only ignores the special nature of literary works as spiritual objects; On the basis of "whiteboard theory", it is believed that readers can reproduce the original intention of the author commissioned works from a neutral state-"whiteboard state".