One of the important directions in the teaching and research of foreign literature is the people’s sense of gain in education, as can be logically deduced from Xi Jinping’s people-centered thought. The ideas contained in the instruction to “Tell Chinese stories well!” also highlight the importance of literature, as aesthetic resources, for people’s education. To enhance the effectiveness of foreign literature teaching and research, we need to reconstruct the history of foreign literature and build a robust cognitive framework, in which we clarify the key points of the history of human relations constructed by literature and literary theories, dialectically treat the existing literary histories constructed by the “canon”, and push for Chinese values to interact with foreign literature. In constructing such a cognitive framework in communication with students, it is especially necessary to have heightened geopolitical awareness. In addition, interdisciplinary approach is recommended, for other disciplines, such as finance, will prove to be able to stretch thinking and improve students’ mental sophistication and spiritual resilience.