Study On Mao Dun's Translation And Introduction Of Foreign Literature

Mao Dun,one of the most outstanding writers of Chinese modern literature,ushered in his literary career from translation and introduction of foreign literature.From 1917 to 1949,he translated more than 200 pieces of literary works from around 30 countries,and published a large number of articles introducing and commenting on foreign literature,showing his broad literary horizon and his literary principle of “taking the essence from as broad as possible”.His translation endeavors were to serve the construction of modern literature.Therefore,this dissertation on the study of Mao Dun's translation doesn't purely take Mao Dun as a translator,i.e.to study his translation tactics,compare his translation with the original texts,study the influence and acceptance of his translation,etc.Instead,the study focuses on how Mao Dun's thoughts on translation interacted with his thought on modern literature,which linked his translation to his role as a modern literary pioneer,editor of literary magazines and leader from cultural circle.Following this principle,the first chapter of this study gives a brief introduction of Mao Dun's endeavors in translation and introduction of foreign literature,which shows that his efforts in this field were really broad,ranging from translation and introductory articles of foreign literary works,to introduction of literary schools.The briefing also reveals that his efforts were associated with his editorial work for Short Story Monthly,Literature,and Translation Magazine,and he mainly translated Russian and Soviet literature and literature from small and weak nations.The reason behind those efforts is that he tried to use translation to reform Chinese society and literature.Building on his translation practice,he proposed the translation criterion of “Romantic Charm”,which exerted a far-reaching influence on translation criticism in China.After this brief introduction,the study deals with his translation endeavors respectively.Mao Dun put priority on literary schools in his translation of foreign literature.Therefore the second chapter deals with his introduction of foreign literary schools,i.e.Neo-romanticism,Naturalism,and Proletarian literary theories and socialist realism one by one.Mao Dun has never taken the theories wholesale while he introduced them to China.Instead,he adapted the foreign literary theories according to the target he set for Chinese literature,making them agreeable with China's development.After dealing with the theories,the study turns to Mao Dun's translation of literary works.Mao Dun's translation of diverse literary works was carried out by the means of English,the only foreign language he mastered.With the exception of English literature,which took only a tiny part of his translation,Mao Dun translated and introduced foreign literary works through their English versions.This strategy on the one hand helped to broaden his world literary horizon and enabled him to translate extensive foreign literary works,but on the other hand left his translation and introductory endeavors with marks from English world,which then exerted influence on how Mao Dun conducted his translation and introduction of foreign literature and the cultural effect ensuing.The exact influence is discussed in Chapter Three.Mao Dun translated mostly when he was editing Short Story Monthly,Literature,and Translation Magazine.Even if he stopped translation practice after 1949,he encouraged translation endevours by others through People's Literature and the new Translation Magazine.Thus the fourth chapter talks about the relationship between his translation and editorial experience.Mao Dun translated extensively while he proposed the literary ideal of people's literature,national literature and world literature.What's the correlation between the two? In the next chapter,Chapter Five,the author discusses how Mao Dun's translation helped to realize his triple literary ideals.At last,in Conclusion,the author reitereated translation's role in Mao Dun's career and talks about the limitation of the study as well as the foresight.