Collected Works of Xu Fancheng (Volumes 1-16)

Author: Xu Fancheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-02-01
Features: Xu Fancheng followed Lu Xun in his early years and was Lu Xun's favorite disciple. Xu Fancheng was not only proficient in Chinese classics but also mastered nine languages, including Sanskrit, Latin, and ancient Greek. He conducted in-depth research in every field of Chinese and Western philosophy, religion, literature, and poetry, making him a philosopher, academic master, and translator who integrated Chinese, Indian, and Western learning. During his time in Germany, he translated Nietzsche's works at Lu Xun's request and was regarded as the most outstanding translator of Nietzsche in China. He was also the most comprehensive translator of Indian classical and canonical texts. Xu Fancheng was a traditional scholar, and he made at least five academic contributions: reinterpreting Chinese classical thought through the lens of spiritual philosophy, such as his Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, which was highly praised by many intellectuals; writing and translating English works on the essence of ancient Chinese scholarship, making him one of China's most important translators of Nietzsche; systematically translating ancient Indian classics and comprehensively introducing the thoughts of the modern "sage" Sri Aurobindo. Xu Fancheng once said, "Be persistent, as I have dedicated decades to spiritual philosophy." Sun Bo noted that Xu Fancheng's spiritual journey, from translating Nietzsche to introducing Sri Aurobindo, and from researching the treasures of ancient Indian civilization to interpreting the essence of traditional Chinese culture, continued Lu Xun's cultural ideals of "establishing humanity" and "transforming the national character."
The Collected Works of Xu Fancheng includes his early translations of Nietzsche's works, such as Thus Spoke Zarathustra and Nietzsche's Autobiography. It also features his translated and revised classics on ancient Indian civilization, such as The Bhagavad Gita and The Upanishads, as well as his writings that elucidate Chinese philosophy, such as Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching and Liang Wang Xue Shu. The collection also publishes for the first time his five English works, including Essentials of Elementary Education, The Ancient Mystery of Confucianism, and The Great Commentary on the I Ching—An Introduction to Neo-Confucianism. His original intention in translating was to introduce "Confucianism, elementary education, and the Yogacara school of thought transmitted in China" to the West. The collection also includes a large number of works translated by Xu Fancheng on the writings of Sri Aurobindo, the founder of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, including The Divine Life, which is regarded as the only modern classic in India, as well as The Yoga Sutras and four other works. Additionally, there are The Words of the Mother, in four parts, which include the remarks of Mina, the then-president of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and whom Xu Fancheng called the "divine mother," who was once praised by Gandhi as "this drop of nectar!" Furthermore, the collection includes Xu Fancheng's first published self-composed classical poetry collection, Poems from the Pavilion, which systematically collects numerous fragments reflecting his thoughts and spirit, as well as articles on Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, such as On Poetry from the Pavilion and A Revisit to Greek Classics.