World literature, global culture and contemporary Chinese literature in translation

Abstract

The starting point of this article is the concern shown by Chinese writers, academics, and cultural officials in regard to the status and reception of contemporary Chinese literature. One factor often overlooked is the necessity, at this moment in history, for Chinese literature to be translated for the global market. The relative success of contemporary Chinese literature in French, German, and Japanese markets is evidence that the Anglophone market is resistant to foreign literature in general; the relative success of traditional Chinese literature, from Confucius to the 19th century, even in the Anglophone markets is evidence that English-language readers are not prejudiced against Chinese-language literature in general. From these premises, the article looks at ways in which the translation of Chinese literature and its publication for readers outside China can be improved.Keywords Contemporary Chinese literature Á Global culture Á Literary translation Á Traditional Chinese literature in translation Á Contemporary Chinese literature in translationThe word 'culture' is open to many definitions and shades of meaning, one of the simplest referring to any activity or product related to the arts. 1 The concept that

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“…This publication was timely so as to capture the keen Western interest in life under China's communist regime. Despite its commercial success, Wild Swans has attracted a number of criticisms for its interpretation of Chinese history and the overwhelmingly negative portrayal of Mao (Chun 1992;Gao 1993;Gao 2002;Goodman 2006;McDougall 2014). For example, McDougall (2014: 57) comments that the success of Wild Swans "reinforces the impression that English-language readers welcome or at least don't object to books that are critical of contemporary China."…”

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