On Propagation Of The Four Books In Nineteenth-century Europe

The Four Books is the earliest presented European scholars system Confucius classical literature, which finished the period that European recognized China only through the travels and opened the new period that modern European explored Chinese spirit and Chinese philosophy.With the enhancing of sinology attention, the special research about the spread of The Four Books to Europe gradually appear in China and abroad. It mainly has the following four angles: one is using the translation theory and comparative literature theory to discuss the benefits and the drawbacks of translation of The Four Books; One is based on the theory of philology to research and explore the collection and translation of The Four Books; One is using the specialized history theory to discuss the history of translation about The Four Books that are according to countries to comb; One is using philosophy Angle to discuss the function about early translation of The Four Books pushed the enlightenment. This article belongs to the history of literature propagation. Using the basic theory of literature to acquire letters, diaries, newspapers, journals, memoirs, translations and research results are related to the proposition. Meanwhile, writer research and restore the situation of The Four Books were spread by sinologists and missionaries in the 19 th century. Next, combination philology, hermeneutics, comparative philosophy and the theory of reception aesthetics in the new context of The Four Books in the 19 th century spread to involved, reflection and research, and combined with the spread of the The Four Books zeitgeist to consider the modernity meaning.This paper consists of eight parts:"Introduction" : First interpretation of the topic, The Four Books consist of “The Great Learning”, “The Doctrine of the Mean”, “The Confucian Analects”, and “The Works of Mencius”. It is different from some other annotated. Next, this paper introduces the spread of the The Four Books the characteristics in different historical period and the study content of this article combed the relevant issues of academic history at home and abroad, and the relevant issues of the existing academic opinions and summarizes research results. Finally, writer explains the research method of this paper, the research significance and value.Chapter 1: “The history about The Four Books was spread to Europe.” This chapter tells the reason of the first batch of Jesuit choose The Four Books. The "Etiquette in China” is the background that Jesuits gave a historical mission of The Four Books, introduces western Chinese philosophy foundation of the Chinese philosopher Confucius and the first foreign language The Four Books versions were images of the empire, the European scholars on The Four Books translation, reception and early Jesuits spread to Europe The Four Books translation of the impact on the European enlightenment.Chapter 2: "The Revolution Times: the cultural context of The Four Books in Europe.” This chapter mainly expounds domestic cultural environment and cultural environment abroad related to The Four Books spread in Europe. Furthermore, it emphasizes the introduction of the domestic study of theology, the changes of Europeans’ perspective on Chinese variation and transmission and the specialization knowledge of sinology.Chapter 3: "Translation" of The Four Books in the 19 th century. This chapter combines the translation of The Four Books translated by the missionary in the major European powers such as Britain, France, Germany and Russia and by sinologist in the ancient China. Additionally, differences of disseminator during the translation work between the early Jesuits and the translators in the 19 th century have been compared; meanwhile, characteristics during the translation activities have been involved in this chapter.Chapter4: The study of The Four Books in the 19 th century. This chapter integrates the results that sinologists studied The Four Books as the object of linguistics and philosophy achievement consolidated, and examines The Four Books’ linguistics and philosophy value in the traditional western horizon.Chapter 5: “The new situations of spreading The Four Books in the 19 th century ". This chapter focuses on the discussion of the new situations of spreading The Four Books to European in the 19 th century, for example, when redacting bilingual dictionary, The Four Books was used as examples of the dictionary; setting up The Four Books course in school; when compiling history of Chinese literature, The Four Books what was the foundation of literature was be written into the history of literature.Chapter 6 "European accepted The Four Books in the 19 th century.” This chapter discusses the western ideological circle and the literary circle accepted The Four Books after it spread to Europe. Meanwhile, they investigated the situation of Chinese who translated The Four Books accepted Sinologist version in Europe at the end of the 19 th century."Conclusion" : The important proposition of the times is how to take history as a mirror, use the Chinese classical literature to construct the objective and scientific view, and share China excellent culture. "Conclusion" point is using the basic theories of comparative philosophy to explore The Four Books the meaning of modernity.