Modern Chinese Literature In Egypt

The Nile and the Yellow River gestated the ancient Egyptian and Chinese cultures. Numerous Arabic masterpieces, such as The Arabian Nights, are well-known in China. Works of the Egyptian Nobel Prize winner Nagiib Mahfouz are widely transmitted in China. On the other hand, lots of Chinese classics, such as Confucius, Daoism, Yi Chin, The Art of War by Sun Tzu, poems by Qu Yuan, Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Romance of the Three Kingdom, Journey to the west, Water Margin, A Dream of Red Mansion and so on, have been translated into Arabic script. Some modern Chinese literary works, such as Lu Xun's and Lao She's, are broadly accepted, translated and researched in Egypt, these works even have great effect on some Egyptian writers.As an Egyptian student in Beijing, I realize the fact that both Chinese literature in Egypt and Egyptian literature in China are worth researching and analyzing. It might be language and culture obstacles that prevent the research progress in this aspect which should be done earlier in comparative literature field. However, to sort out and research the mutual literature influence and relations in both countries from all aspects is beyond my ability, therefore, here in my dissertation I mainly focus on modern Chinese literature in Egypt and will leave the Egyptian literature in China for my future academic research project. I am sure that my research will promote an active interaction between Chinese and Egyptian cultures, and at the same time it will repay the unforgettable and precious cultivation I have got in China.There are four chapters in the dissertation, and the main contents are as following:Chapter One is a prelude to introduce the communication and transmission between Chinese and Egypt modern literatures. Part 1 lists the history, present situation and prospect of Egyptian literature in China. In the history of Sino-Arabic literature translation, Sino-Arabic experts always put the Egyptian literature in the first place, and there are much more researches on Egyptian literature than any other Arabian literatures, for example, many modern Egyptian masterpieces by Mahmoud Taimour, Taha Hussein, Tawfik ELhakim, Abdelrahman ELshrkawy, Yousef Edriis , Yehia haky, Nagiib Mahfouz and so on have been translated and researched in China. Part 2 introduces the history, present situation and prospect of Chinese literature in Egypt including the challenges for Egyptian sinologists. Many translated modern Chinese works since 1950s are listed. Besides, Chinese literature research in the Chinese Department of the Language Faculty in Am shams university since 1980s are also introduced. Part 3 concerns the existing problems and developing prospect of Chinese literature in Egypt.Chapter Two probes into Lu Xun and his works's significance and influences on egypt and egyptian writers. Part 1 expounds the high reviews and criticism to Lu Xun's thoughts and works from Arabic literary and diplomatic society. Part 2 introduces the present Lu Xun's research situation since the beginning of 1990s in Egypt, for nearly one hundred years, Lu Xun has been regarded as the greatest Chinese litterateur and thinker by Egyptian researchers, translated works or research collections on Lu Xun in Egypt attracts much attention. Part 3 analyzes Lu Xun's influences on modern Egyptian novel writing from the perspective of the influential research for comparative literature. Egyptian writer, Abdel Ghfaar Makawy, as the first Arabian writer directly influenced by Lu Xun, accepted Lu Xun's style on subject matter, novel skills, characterization and ways of representation.Chapter Three probes into the translation and research and acceptance of Lao She and his works in Egypt. Part 1 deals with the translation and transmission of Lao She's famous drama the Teahouse. Part 2 introduces the Lao She research in Egypt. Since the Arabic version of Lao She's Luo Tuo Xiang Zi was published in 1984 by Beijing Foreign Language Publishing House, it was favored by Arabic readers and researchers. The Chinese Departments in many Egyptian Universities began to write papers and dissertations on Lao She. Part 3 reviews Lao She's and Mahfouz's literary opinions, national and local culture features. The citizens and urban cultures in Cairo and Beijing were rich resources for Mahfouz and Lao She, which helped to establish their important positions in both countries. Part 4 discusses the similarities between Lao She's Luo Tuo Xiang Zi and Egyptian writer Tawfik ELhakim's novella《Prosecutor Diary》. Both works criticized ironically the societies in two respective countries, showed sympathies on poor people in urban and rural districts and strong social responsibility and patriotism.Chapter Four analyzes the translation and research of modern Chinese female writers in Egypt. Part 1 introduces the developing situation of female writings in both countries. Part 2 is about the Egyptian sinologists' researches of Chinese female writers and the transmission of several Chinese female writers* works in Arabic world, especially the acceptance and historic meaning of the Hui Minority female writer Huo Da's Muslim's Funeral in Arabic world. Part 3 discusses the thoughts and artistic representation in Egyptian female writer Latifa Elzaiat'sthe opening door and modern Chinese female writer Yang Mo's the Song of Youth from the parallel research perspective for comparative literature.The last chapter handles Egypt in Chinese writers' works and China in Egyptian writers' works. It mainly copes with Chinese writers Yang Shuo and Bing Xin's Egyptian images. Part 1 introduces Yang Shuo's essays on Egyptian subject and people which overflow rich history, culture and geographic features with his, personal experiences. His essays embody his internationalism, such as love for Egyptian people and peace and spirit of anti-war, anti-invasion and anti-capitalism. In his works we can feel the deep friendship between two countries. Part 2 discusses Bing Xin's works on Egypt and analyzes the Egyptian images in some of her essays. China in Egyptian writers' works involves Mahmoud ELbadawey and Anies Mansour two Egyptian writers who wrote about the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.