Feudal Society (Vol. 1 & 2)

Author: Bloch
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-10-01
Features: Feudal Society (Volume 1 and 2) is a renowned masterpiece with profound and extensive content. The text involves multiple languages, and the difficulty of its translation is well-known to all. This has often given our translation work the feeling of "plowing with a dog's snout." Although we have done our utmost with caution, errors are inevitable. We sincerely hope that scholars with great knowledge and insight can offer guidance, so that we may have the opportunity to correct them in the future. Marc Bloch was the founder of the Annales School and a renowned historian in the international academic world. More than half a century ago, in such a turbulent environment, he completed the immortal academic masterpiece Feudal Society with outstanding talent and extraordinary willpower, a perseverance that is astonishing and admirable. Bloch was also a brave and outstanding patriot who (resolutely joined the resistance movement) and ultimately died tragically under the knives of German fascists. Such a tragic life ending fills one with immense sorrow and grief. It can be imagined that if this exceptionally talented, perceptive, and passionate historian had survived the disasters of that time, he would have likely offered unique and insightful commentary on the history of the era he personally experienced. What spiritual wealth would people living today have gained then! The translation of Feudal Society began in 1990 and spanned over a decade, finally being completed today. It can be said that this was a laborious and challenging translation. Just as Bloch witnessed the great changes of his time, the translators also witnessed extraordinary years in the history of contemporary China. The vivid colors of this history have not faded to this day, but can people living today, even historians dedicated to historical critique, offer fair and serious evaluations of it? The Chinese nation, which has endured countless hardships, has a long tradition of valuing history. Chinese scholars have always taken the world upon themselves, diligently adhering to the ancient principle of "though humble in position, one dare not forget the nation's worries." However, when scholars' political discussions were feared and even hated by the "royal court," their patriotic sentiments turned into cheap self-pity. If anyone continued to speak endlessly about national and state affairs at such a time, they would surely be seen as out of touch with the times. "Freedom is the way of the literati with the pen, but the literati are not free!" Poor and easily suspected scholars often hesitated to speak of the history they had personally experienced, only to sigh in helplessness. Today, scholars in academia must still remember the situation of over a decade ago. If, amidst the overwhelming material desires of that time, scholars accustomed to a life of hardship could still find solace in the ancient principle of "a gentleman remains steadfast in poverty," then the biting cold of late spring would inevitably chill the hearts of scholars! The lament that "scholars are useless in the world" reveals so much sorrow and helplessness! "Retreat to a small tower and unite as one, caring not for winter or spring" may be a wise strategy, but people cannot completely escape the realities of survival. Frequently heard in people's ears at that time were terms like "capitalism" and "liberalization," which were understood by only a few. Yet, what frequently appeared in my mind was the concept of "feudalism." Reading Bloch's Feudal Society in such a state naturally held a different significance. By chance, I discussed this book with an editor friend from the Commercial Press, only to learn that the Commercial Press had long planned to publish the translation but had not yet found a suitable translator. Unassuming, I bravely proposed to undertake the translation. Following the traditional requirements of the Commercial Press, I submitted a trial translation, and the task of translation was essentially settled. To ensure the quality of the translation, I wrote to my teacher, the renowned historian and translator Professor Guo Shoutian, asking him to proofread the manuscript. Although Professor Guo was advanced in years, he readily agreed and offered his opinions: Bloch's Feudal Society is a very important work in the field of medieval studies in international academia, and Chinese academia should have had a translation long ago. Bloch was not only an outstanding historian but also a person of high moral character and patriotism. He participated in the resistance movement and died for his country. It was a great honor to undertake the translation of this book. He encouraged me to be determined to complete the translation well. According to the original plan, I invited three friends to translate the book together, aiming to complete it within two years. In 1991, I went to Greece for studies and temporarily interrupted the translation work, but I did not give up on this task. In the midst of my studies, I used the summer vacation of 1992 to complete my portion and sent it back to Professor Guo. Professor Guo was extremely meticulous in his proofreading, treating it as a major undertaking in his later years. Unfortunately, in the first half of 1993, he accidentally fell and suffered a fracture. While hospitalized for treatment, he passed away due to a medical accident. Before his death, Professor Guo still worried about the translation work, regretting that he could not personally complete the proofreading. He entrusted the unfinished task to his student, Professor Xu Jialing, who then relayed his message to me, urging me to see it through to the end. Professor Guo's deep commitment to this work, aside from his admiration for Bloch's character and the academic value of his work, likely also stemmed from his immense hope in me. In 1998, after returning to Beijing, I learned that the three friends who had originally agreed to undertake the translation were too busy with their work to proceed as planned. Mr. Wang Mingyi, who was in charge of the matter at the Commercial Press, suggested that I take on the entire task. Considering that the translation work had already been delayed for a long time, and that completing it alone might lead to further delays, I invited my friends Li Zenghong and Hou Shudong to collaborate. I translated the first volume, and the three of us translated the second volume together (Li Zenghong translated chapters 21–26, Hou Shudong translated chapters 27–31, and I translated chapters 32–33). The first volume was proofread by Professor Guo and Professor Xu Jialing, while the second volume was proofread by me. I was also responsible for the overall compilation and the translation of the title comparison for both volumes. Now that the translation work is complete, I have finally fulfilled my duty to Professor Guo in the afterlife. If Professor Guo were still alive and could witness the publication of this book, how wonderful that would be! It is especially worth mentioning that the translation of this book received the enthusiastic support and encouragement of the renowned historian Professor Ma Keyao, which we deeply admire. His high praise for the book and his attention to our work have greatly boosted our confidence and courage to overcome various difficulties. At our request, he gladly wrote a preface, which is comprehensive and expansive, spanning over 7,000 words. It is truly an exceptional work that offers a profound discussion on feudalism. However, due to our limited translation abilities, the quality of the translation may not have reached the desired level, and we fear that it may have dishonored Bloch's masterpiece and Professor Ma's preface. Translating academic masterpieces involves at least two major challenges: one must be familiar with the content being studied, and one must have a strong command of both Chinese and foreign languages. If one is not familiar with the research content and translates hastily, the result is like a deaf person listening to fine music—though there is the intention, the enjoyment is lost, much like a eunuch trying to pair with a beautiful woman—though there is the desire, the reality is unattainable. If one lacks proficiency in both languages and (forces translation), it is akin to an awkward painter attempting to create a timeless masterpiece—though the ambition is high, the flaws are inevitable. The difficulty of translation cannot be fully understood without personal experience. Yan Fu's saying that "establishing a name requires hesitation for months" is indeed not empty words. Bloch's Feudal Society is a profound and extensive masterpiece, and the difficulty of its translation is well-known. This has often given our translation work the feeling of "plowing with a dog's snout." Although we have done our utmost with caution, errors are inevitable. We sincerely hope that scholars with great knowledge and insight can offer guidance, so that we may have the opportunity to correct them in the future. Zhang Xushan, January 2004, Tsinghua Garden, Beijing