Three-Leaf Collection (German Literature · Literary Translation · Comparative Literature)

Author: Yang Wuneng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: Briefly introduce the three parts of this book, specifically discussing where they are new:
The first part discusses German literature. As an important branch of foreign literature, especially Western literature, German literature is my true professional field. The fortune of engaging in this field lies in having been taught by outstanding scholars such as Ye Fengzhi, Zhang William, and Feng Zhi. However, despite this, I did not blindly follow my teachers but strove for creativity, breakthroughs, and progress. For example, Mr. Feng Zhi is internationally recognized as an expert on Goethe. Although I followed his academic direction, in the book Approaching Goethe, newly published, I studied issues and works he did not address, such as The Sorrows of Young Werther and Affinity, or works he did not have time to systematically and deeply research, such as poetry and Faust. Taking the current "Discussions on German Literature" as an example, the articles following Approaching Goethe, such as Not Just Self-Strengthening—A Different Interpretation and Reflection on the "Faustian Spirit" and Goethe as a Thinker, can also be considered groundbreaking and offer fresh insights. The same applies to my research on other writers and works—I mostly speak of what others have not, thus adding some value. Just as I first emphasized that Goethe was first and foremost a great thinker, I also proposed the proposition that German literature, as the main body of German literature, is the literature of thinkers, thereby clarifying its fundamental characteristics and special value as an important part of world literature.
Furthermore, many of the discussions in this part on German Novelle (short stories) were among the first in China to study the theory of German Novelle and its writers and works, helping Chinese readers better understand, recognize, and appreciate this genre that German literature excels at. It must be noted that most German Novelles are highly engaging; if a broad readership can understand and appreciate German Novelles, the biased conclusion that German literature is "not engaging" may be corrected. I emphasize innovation as my academic pursuit, and the affirmation of "newness" is the main value of this collection of essays. However, it must be said that there are not many people in China who research German literature, so it is not difficult to achieve innovation in research, nor is it difficult to fill gaps in research, and even to become the best person in a small research topic. What matters is having the courage and the heart; with courage and dedication, it is not difficult to achieve certain accomplishments. Therefore, I value my achievements in German literature research far less than my translation achievements. I also know that my academic foundation is weak and that I am unlikely to achieve great success, whereas I proudly consider myself to possess the specific temperament, qualities, and abilities to become a literary translator. This is the subjective root of my lack of diligence in academic research and my mediocre achievements.
The second part discusses the practice and theory of literary translation. Literary translation is my greatest passion. I originally studied foreign languages in university to fulfill my dream of becoming a literary translator, a dream I had since high school. Since the late 1950s, I have persistently engaged in literary translation as a hobby, and to this day, I deeply understand that a good translator must clearly grasp the essence of literary translation, must possess the necessary knowledge and cultivation, and must hold the correct standards to evaluate their own work. Therefore, in the spare time of my translation practice, while paying attention to the development of translation theory, I also frequently engage in reflections on the theory and principles of literary translation. By sharing my thoughts with colleagues at home and abroad, I produced the several essays collectively titled "Random Thoughts." Such articles, naturally, have the nature of personal experience summaries and are difficult to be profound or systematic. However, they stem from practice, are heartfelt, and are substantive, possessing the advantages of being unique, fresh, and original. The other articles in this section, though written under different circumstances than "Random Thoughts," are equally based on my own literary translation practice and express my personal genuine feelings, making them equally individual and irreplaceable.
I discussed the subjectivity of literary translation more and earlier. Today, it has become a hot topic and research subject in the field of translation studies, which makes the originator of this topic and the self-proclaimed "" deeply gratified.
The third part involves comparative literature. To be honest, my engagement in comparative literature and my inclusion in the so-called circle of comparative literature scholars, let alone becoming a supervisor for the comparative literature and world literature program, was entirely due to unexpected luck, the care and protection of the goddess of fortune. For myself, it was truly an unintentional willow tree that took root crookedly.