Three-Leaf Collection -- German Literature. Literary Translation. Comparative Literature (Comparative Literature and Literary Theory Series)

Author: Yang Wuneng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: Briefly introduce the three parts of this book and specifically discuss where they are new:
Part I discusses German literature. As an important branch of foreign literature, especially Western literature, German literature is my true professional field. The luck I have in pursuing this field lies in having been taught by outstanding scholars such as Ye Fengzhi, Zhang William, and Feng Zhi. However, despite this, I do not blindly follow my teachers but strive for creation, breakthroughs, and progress. For example, Mr. Feng Zhi is internationally recognized as an expert on Goethe. While I followed his academic direction, I have studied issues and works he did not address in his published works, such as The Sorrows of Young Werther and Affinity, or works he did not systematically and deeply research, such as poetry and Faust. In the current "Discussions on German Literature," several articles following Getting Closer to Goethe, such as Not Just Self-Strengthening—A Different Interpretation and Reflection on the Spirit of Faust and Goethe as a Thinker, can also be considered innovative and offer fresh insights. This applies not only to Goethe but also to other writers and works, as most of them speak of things others have not, thus adding some value. Like I first emphasized that Goethe is first and foremost a great thinker, I also propose that German literature, as the main subject of German literature, is the literature of thinkers, thereby clarifying its fundamental characteristics and unique value as an important part of world literature. Furthermore, many 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, which has helped Chinese readers better understand, recognize, and appreciate this genre that German literature excels at. It must be noted that most German Novelle are very engaging; if a broad readership can understand and appreciate German Novelle, the biased conclusion that German literature is "not engaging" may be corrected. I emphasize innovation as my academic pursuit, and I believe that the "new" is the main value of this collection of essays. However, it must be said that there are not many people in China who study 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 leading expert 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.
Part II 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 qualities, and must hold the correct standards to evaluate their own work. Therefore, in the spare time of my translation practice, while keeping an eye on the development of translation theory, I also frequently reflect on the theory and principles of literary translation. By sharing my thoughts with colleagues at home and abroad, I have produced several essays titled "Random Thoughts" in this part. Such articles, naturally, have the nature of personal experience summaries and are difficult to be profound and systematic. However, they are rooted in practice, come from the heart, and are substantive, with the advantages of being unique, fresh, and original. The other articles in this part, though written under different circumstances than "Random Thoughts," are also based on my own literary translation practice and express my personal genuine feelings, so they are equally individual and irreplaceable. I discussed the subjectivity of literary translation more and earlier. Now, it has become a hot topic and research subject in the field of translation studies, which makes the one of the initiators and the self-proclaimed "" of translation theory feel deeply gratified.
Part III involves comparative literature. To be honest, my involvement in comparative literature and my inclusion among the so-called comparative literature scholars, even becoming a supervisor for comparative literature and world literature, was entirely due to an accidental turn of fate, completely thanks to the favor of luck. For me personally, it was truly like planting willows unintentionally—serendipitous and unexpected.