Language, Translation and Politics

Author: Wang Xianming
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2005-05-01
Features: The translation of Yan Fu's works has profoundly influenced the modern transformation of thought and society in modern China. This book systematically analyzes Yan Fu's translation of Social Darwinism, which holds an important position in the history of modern Chinese thought, from aspects such as the textual origins, motivations for translation, key terms and concepts, and political and social impacts. The book offers a novel perspective and is rich in research materials. Based on a bilingual annotation of English and Chinese, it not only attempts a new academic approach to studying Yan Fu's translations but also provides valuable insights for researching similar translated texts and the history of Sino-Western cultural exchange since modern times. The book systematically analyzes Yan Fu's translation of Social Darwinism from aspects such as textual origins, motivations for translation, key terms and concepts, and political and social impacts, and concludes that:
1. Yan Fu's selection to translate this book was the result of an interactive relationship between late Qing social, political, and cultural contexts, with the aim of exploring the process of modern state-building through translation;
2. During the translation process, Yan Fu modified the social types and corresponding temporal and spatial systems of the original work and incorporated China, which was not within the original's scope, into it;
3. The concepts of "nation" and "state" in Yan Fu's translation were infused with elements of Chinese culture;
4. After its publication, Yan Fu's translation had a significant impact on the constitutional movement, revolutionary trends, and the New Culture Movement in the late Qing and early Republican periods.