Return to Classical Political Philosophy - Straus Correspondence Collection

Author: Zhu Yanbing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Even if classic Western thought has been translated into Chinese, it does not mean that the Chinese academic community has the interpretive ability. Although the history of Chinese translation of Western academic works has only spanned a century, the accumulated achievements are already substantial, yet the academic interpretation still seems to be like eating undercooked rice—even raw rice, unable to digest it. Translating works by Western scholars that interpret classic Western texts and fully utilizing the solid achievements of Western academia in organizing and preserving past knowledge is of great significance in continuing the unfinished task of understanding Western intellectual traditions since the late Qing Dynasty. The translation community is not unenthusiastic about translating research works by Western scholars, and there are even large-scale translation series. It is evident that the topics of such translations are basically stuck at the level of general histories or biographical critiques, failing to advance to in-depth close readings with interpretive depth. The design of this series, "Western Tradition: Classics and Interpretations," aims to promote a deeper understanding of the great tradition of Western thought among scholars. The selection of topics not only considers the numerous research gaps that urgently need to be filled (including translations of some classic works), but also particularly focuses on choosing interpretations of classics by prominent thinkers and dedicated intellectual historians. Even if all classic Western thought has been translated into Chinese, it does not mean that the Chinese academic community has the interpretive ability. The history of Chinese translation of Western academic works has only spanned a century, yet the accumulated achievements are already substantial, yet the academic interpretation still seems to be like eating undercooked rice—even raw rice, unable to digest it. Translating works by Western scholars that interpret classic Western texts and fully utilizing the solid achievements of Western academia in organizing and preserving past knowledge is of great significance in continuing the unfinished task of understanding Western intellectual traditions since the late Qing Dynasty. The translation community is not unenthusiastic about translating research works by Western scholars, and there are even large-scale translation series. It is evident that the topics of such translations are basically stuck at the level of general histories or biographical critiques, failing to advance to in-depth close readings with interpretive depth. The design of this series, "Western Tradition: Classics and Interpretations," aims to promote a deeper understanding of the great tradition of Western thought among scholars. The selection of topics not only considers the numerous research gaps that urgently need to be filled, but also particularly focuses on choosing interpretations of classics by prominent thinkers and dedicated intellectual historians.