Chinese Language New Curriculum Standard Required Reading Series - Goethe's Conversations

Author: Eckermann
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-07-01
Features: To comprehensively improve the Chinese literacy of primary and secondary school students, enhance the modern awareness of textbook courses, 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 exam 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 Syllabus" for primary and secondary schools, the "Chinese Curriculum Standards" have made significant revisions to the specific titles of extracurricular reading materials in the original syllabus 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 a target of attack by the democratic radicals. Under these circumstances, Eckermann's book recording Goethe's conversations naturally received cold reception from critics and the general readership. After the 1848 revolution failed, the political situation in Germany changed, and Goethe gained increasing public attention. Particularly after the unification of Germany in 1871, Goethe was hailed as the "Olympian God." The book recording the conversations of this "saint" thus became the "sacred book." Academia has regarded this book as a secret reading list for studying Goethe, with some experts even treating it as Goethe's own work. Additionally, many scholars have absolutely no doubt about the authenticity of the scenes and conversations recorded in the book, fully trusting their reliability.
In summary, from the late 19th century to the 20th century, the vast majority of scholars viewed Eckermann's book as an objective and faithful record of Goethe's conversations, an absolutely reliable handwritten document. However, this perspective contradicts Eckermann's own intentions. In the preface to the first and second parts, he wrote: "Goethe manifests different images in different circumstances and to different people, so for me, I can only humbly say that this is my Goethe."