Goethe Conversation Records (New Curriculum Reading Series for Chinese Language)

Author: Eckermann
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-05-01
Features: To comprehensively improve the Chinese literacy of primary and secondary school students, enhance the modern awareness of Chinese teaching, and vigorously promote new learning methods, the Ministry of Education issued the "Full-time Compulsory Education Chinese Curriculum Standards" and the "General High School Chinese Curriculum Standards" as core content of the basic education curriculum reform in 2001 and 2003, respectively. The "Chinese Curriculum Standards" serve as the basis for teaching, assessment, and examination question setting, as well as the foundation for national curriculum management and evaluation, reflecting the fundamental requirements of the state for students at different stages in terms of knowledge, skills, processes, and methods. Compared to the original "Chinese Teaching Program" for primary and secondary schools, the "Chinese Curriculum Standards" have made significant revisions to the specific titles of extracurricular reading materials in the original program and stipulated the total amount of reading required for students at different stages, urging primary and secondary school students to read widely. To this end, we have compiled and published this series of "New Curriculum Standards Chinese Must-Read Books," with all titles designated by the new standards. To assist students in reading, we have included an introductory essay before each classic, providing an in-depth yet accessible introduction to the book. The Conversations with Goethe is divided into three parts, the first and second parts were published in 1836, and the third part in 1848. The 1830s and 1840s were revolutionary decades in German history. Due to Goethe's skeptical and detached attitude toward revolution, he became the target of attacks from democratic radicals. Under these circumstances, Eckermann's book, which records conversations with Goethe, was naturally met with indifference from critics and the general public. After the 1848 revolution failed, the political situation in Germany changed, and Goethe gained increasing public attention. Especially after the unification of Germany in 1871, Goethe became the "Olympian God." The book recording the conversations of this "saint" thus became the "sacred book." Academia has regarded this book as a secret and essential reading for studying Goethe; some experts even consider it as Goethe's own work. Additionally, many scholars have no doubt that the recorded scenes and conversations in the book are absolutely reliable. In summary, from the late 19th century to the 20th century, the vast majority of scholars regarded Eckermann's book as an objective and faithful record of Goethe's conversations, an absolutely reliable first-hand document. However, this view contradicts Eckermann's own intentions. In the preface to the first and second parts, he wrote: "Goethe reveals different images to different people in different situations, so as far as I am concerned, I can only humbly say that this is my Goethe."