Selected Prose Works of Qian Gechuan

Author: Qian Gechuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: Qian Gechuan (1903–1990), originally named Qian Muzu, also used the pen name Weigan. He was from Xiangtan, Hunan. In his early years, he studied in Japan at the Imperial Normal School and returned to China in 1926 to teach at middle schools such as Mingde in Changsha. In 1930, he became an editor at the China Publishing House in Shanghai and concurrently served as the editor-in-chief of the New China magazine. From 1936 to 1939, he studied at the University of London in the UK. After returning to China, he taught at Wuhan University. After the victory in the War of Resistance, he served as the chief secretary of the Chinese delegation in Japan. In 1947, he was invited to Taiwan and taught at National Taiwan University, National Cheng Kung University, the Naval Academy, the Military Academy, and Kaohsiung Medical College. He also served as the Dean of the College of Arts at National Taiwan University. During his time in Taiwan, he published works such as A Collection of Silken Threads, A Collection of Light Smoke and Sparse Rain, A Record of Visits to Three Platforms, A Record of Insects and Dreams, A Collection of Bamboo Chips and Wood Shavings, A Collection of Madness and Blindness, The Joy of Itching, and A Collection of Rare Things. He once said, "These essays draw from scattered materials and contain diverse content. In terms of purpose, they range from the trivial, like a chicken or a dog, to the grand, like the rise or fall of a nation. Written impulsively and recorded as they come to mind." His writings retain the carefree, humorous, and lively style of his early essays. Qian Gechuan was a renowned translator who deeply understood the joys and hardships of translation. He strongly agreed with Yan Fu’s saying, "The three difficulties of translation are faithfulness, expressiveness, and elegance, and striving for faithfulness alone is already a great challenge." He believed that those engaged in translation should be as serious as Yan Fu, who would "hesitate for days over the naming of a single word," otherwise, translations would lack faithfulness, and even the slightest error could lead to great deviations. Qian Gechuan’s writings are not only filled with wit but also blend humor and seriousness. They often contain a subtle warning or satire of the world, and his humor carries a certain intellectual edge. When discussing essayists, he once pointed out, "His sharp remarks and casual words may seem unimportant, though lightly written, they carry profound meaning. Readers are often influenced by them without realizing it, and as a result, they can improve human weaknesses, correct social vices, and even greatly benefit the moral fabric of society."