"Sappho: The Genesis of a Western and Eastern Literary Tradition"

Author: Tian Xiaofei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-12-01
Features: Cultural and Literary Translation Series. This book is divided into three parts. The first part includes 101 poems recognized by scholars as works by Sappho; the second part contains 12 poems about which scholars hold doubts; the third part selects literary works from various eras related to Sappho, some of which are themed around her, while others draw inspiration and allusions from her poetry. The existence of the third part is because the literary tradition of the West has never been interrupted, and its contemporary works are filled with echoes of the past. I hope to draw the attention of our readers to this aspect. In 1944, Zhou Zuoren wrote in The Dream of a Literary Renaissance: "When it comes to the influence of foreign cultures, one should trace the source of the stream, not stopping at the modern but seeking its classical roots and embracing them. It should not be limited to one country but involve learning multiple foreign languages, selecting appropriately, striving for depth and breadth, and thus overcoming the pitfalls of dependence." These are very insightful words. While pursuing novelty is not inherently bad, if one is not clear about the origins of "novelty," then understanding Western literature and cultural traditions in this way will inevitably remain superficial.