Lin Yutang:A Successful Cultural Interpreter

As a controversial figure in Chinese mainland literary history, Lin Yutang has been talked about by many scholars. Due to his complicated life experience and character, however, no impartial assessment has been made about him. Since most of the appraisals about Lin Yutang are negative, some of them even derogatory, this thesis is aimed at making an in-depth analysis of his contributions to the cultural exchange between Chinese and western cultures. Hopefully, this positive perspective will play a part in rendering people achieve a more complete and better understanding of Lin Yutang and consequently change his image in the eyes of his mainland readers. The thesis is composed of 4 chapters. In chapter one, the double influence of both the Chinese and western cultures on Lin Yutang childhood, student life and religious belief is examined in details. This foreshadows the formation of Lin Yutang抯 specific cultural concept. As the theoretical part of this thesis, chapter two focuses on analyzing the formation of Lin Yutang cultural concept by dividing it into three stages: spiritual europeanization, return to the traditional Chinese culture and combination of the two cultures. In chapter three, first, a summery of Lin Yutang抯 contribution in cultural exchange is made; then, detailed analysis of his achievements as a writer and translator is followed. His works studied here include My People and My Country, The Importance of Living, Moment in Peking and On Translation. Chapter four concentrates on probing into the factors that led to Lin Yutang world-renowned achievements. According to the relevant analysis, the most important factor is Lin Yutang rich knowledge and deep understanding of both the Chinese and western cultures. This point of view is reirforced in this thesis by comparing Lin Yutang with some other scholars that had also tried to combine the western and Chinese cultures however failed, such as Kang Youwei, Tan Sitong and Gu Hongming in particular. What more, other factors like mastery of English, positive outlook on life and special religious belief are also discussed in this chapter. Because of the complexity of Lin Yutang experience and character, Lin Yutang as a person is as much censured as praised; as a culture interpreter, however, he is undoubtedly successful. By relating to the reality of the world, the globalization and integration trend of it in particular, the closing of the thesis reiterates the necessity of studying Lin Yutang and making objective evaluation of him as well.