Chinese self-portrait

Author: Chen Jitong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: In the history of "the introduction of Western learning to modern China," there are three Chinese authors whose works can truly be said to have been popular in the West: they are Chen Jitong, Gu Hongming, and Lin Yutang. They succeeded one another and were all from Fujian. Today, Gu and Lin are widely known and their works are widely read by scholars, while Chen Jitong remains obscure. This cannot be called anything but a neglect on the part of historians of the past. Chen Jitong studied and worked in France for nearly 20 years, proficient in French, English, Latin, and other languages. He was hailed as "the person who studied French literature in our country" (as cited by Zeng Pu). He mainly wrote in French throughout his life, publishing numerous works that were highly praised by the French literary world. The French literary giant Frédéric Mistral praised his writing as "honest and light." His books were reprinted many times and translated into other languages. The Chinese Self-Portrait and The Chinese Joy are Chen Jitong's most important French works. Especially the first one, it was his breakthrough work. The book was the first to present itself to European readers, speaking from the perspective of a Chinese person about the social life of his own nation and the Sino-Western cultural exchange, thus pioneering the path for Chinese people to independently engage in such cultural activities. Gu Hongming and Lin Yutang were both influenced by him. The two books were later published in English editions.