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Knowledge and Delight: a review of The Translation History of China in
the 20th Century by Fang Huawen (2005)1
He Aijun and Yu Yingji, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Ningbo University, PRC
In the realm of translation studies, new theories and academic arguments turn up
one after another and new terminologies and schools appear like mushrooms. The
study of translation history, however, is little touched upon and people engaged in
the field are few in number. A rough survey of the translation books published in
China in the past twenty years reflects the dilemma clearly. More than one thousand translation books have been published during this period (Fan 2004:436). But
only eleven translation history books (Fan 2004:436) have been published, taking
up less than one percent of the total. The often quoted and most influential translation history books published in China include: A History of Translation Theory
in China by Chen Fukang (Chen 2000); A Brief Translation History of China (before May 4th Movement) by Ma Zuyi (Ma 2004); A Short History of Translation
in the West by Tan Zaixi (Tan 2004). The situation abroad is nearly the same. The
published translation history books known to the community of translation theory researchers in China are: The Translators Invisibility: A History of Translation
by Lawrence Venuti (Venuti 1995), Translators through History by Jean Delisle &
Judith Woodsworth (Delisle 1995) and Translating as a Purposeful Activity: Functional Approaches Explained by Nord (Nord 1997). As far as my survey shows, all
translation history books published at home and abroad are less than fifty, which
are far from enough to portray the translation history of China and that of the
world. So it is pernicious to the construction of translation theory. Precisely in this
awkward situation, the timely publication of The Translation History of China in the
20th Century written in Chinese by Fang Huawen has had a beneficial effect on the
translation realm. As Prof. L Jun points out in his book review: The Translation
History of China in the 20th Century is most informative in introducing the translation and translators in China out of all the books of the same kind (L 2005).
Babel 52:4 (2006), 390394. issn 05219744 / e-issn 15699668
Fdration des Traducteurs (fit) Revue Babel

Literary translation 391

Fang Huawen is a senior translator and professor in Soochow University and

has translated over thirty world classics into Chinese. Immersed as he is in the work
of translation, he has been acquainted with numerous Chinese translators. Based
on the first-hand material, he presented the monograph, innovative in thinking
and writing, linking translation with history, literature with science. Interweaving three historical periods and renowned translators in these periods, the book
presents a remarkable picture of translation elites. The whole book contains over
six hundred thousand words and outlines the translation activities in the three
historical periods: the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China (1895
1911); the Republic of China (19121949); after the founding of the Peoples Republic of China (since 1949).
The first part (including 8 chapters) introduces 19 translators. Liang Qichao,
Yan Fu and Lin Shu are honoured by the author as three outstanding translators
for the first time because they have not only left many monumental translations
but also changed, to a large extent, Chinese backward ideology (Fang 2005:1). So
the author devotes three chapters to enlarging on the three translators respectively.
In the fourth chapter, five translators are portrayed for they had made great contributions to introducing the Western science and literature into China. Xu Shou and
Hua Hengfang have introduced more than thirteen books of Western chemistry
and maths masterpieces. Lin Zexu, Wei Yuan and Xu Jishe, however, have exerted
strong impacts on Chinas translation development from political perspectives by
either establishing translation publishing houses or inviting foreigners to translate
foreign books. In chapters 5, 6, and 7, the author touches upon the achievements
in the translation of poems, fictions, and foreign dramas and at the same time introduces eight translators. Progressively bringing Western learning into China is
no doubt the mainstream in the field of translation in this period. But the spreading of Chinese culture into foreign countries cannot be neglected. So the author
of The Translation History of China in the 20th Century has creatively detailed the
procedure in chapter 8.
The second part (including 16 chapters) involves 48 translators, and makes a
clear and detailed analysis of translation literature, organizations, translators, and
translators theories from 1912 to 1949. In the first three chapters, Lu Xun, Guo
Moruo, and Mao Duns life experiences, masterpieces and theories on translation
have been clearly introduced. In the following two chapters, a group of translators of brilliant attainment emerging from China-Russia cultural exchanges have
been elaborated. To be specific, Zheng Zhenduo, Cao Jinghua, Ge Baoquan, Dong
Qiusi, Yu Zhen, and Shi Zhecun have been concentrated in chapters 4 and 5. Chapters 6, 7, and 8 focus on the translating activities and theories of Qu Qiubai, Fu Lei,
and Liu Bannong. The rest chapters centre around eight aspects: the translation
achievements attained by students who had returned from England, the translation

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of Japanese literature, Shakespeares works, English literature, German literature,

American literature, and of Western philosophy. Thus, a colourful translation picture has been presented to readers.
The third part of the book (including 8 chapters) touches upon the translation
activities of 47 translators after the founding of the PRC. The first seven chapters describe the translators devoted to translating the literary works of the Soviet Union,
Japan, France, Great Britain, Germany, North America and India. The eighth chapter talks about the integration of Western translation theory with that of China.
As one of the readers of the masterpiece, I can imagine the toil required from
the writer to present the picturesque historical translation panorama in conditions
such that there is no precedent to follow at home and nothing as regards experience to refer to abroad. As Fang (2005, 651) puts it, You must have a full command
of the first-hand material; you must not only have acquainted yourself with new
books but also read old books; you must bury yourself among library books which
are covered with thick dust, allowing dust to fly into your noses and your clothes
wet with sweat all over. The masterpiece is the crystallization of the authors longterm study on translation history. It bears the following features.
The first feature is to be seen in its creativity. The Brief Translation History of
China before May 4th Movement by Ma Zuyi filled in a blank in the fields of translation history studies. But what is regretted is that Mas research is fixed on the translation picture before May 4th Movement, leaving Chinas translation history after 1919 untouched. The fourth translation upsurge occurred after 1919 in China.
This upsurge surpasses the three previous ones in translation scale, extent, quality
and its contribution to Chinas society. The Translation History of China in the 20th
Century justly gives a systematic description of the translators, their ideas and the
translation books emerging during this period, thus filling the vacancy in translation history studies after 1919 in China. The publishing of this book provides a new
window to systematic probing into Chinas whole translation picture after May 4th
Movement, thus bridging a gap in Chinas translation history. Under the present
circumstances, when a cry for establishing Chinas own translation theory system is
becoming louder and louder, it is absolutely imperative to systematically comb the
translation history of China in the 20th century. The monographs, however, published in this field are few. And the introductory articles spread widely over various
magazines are like drops in the bucket, and fail to reveal the whole picture. So the
great significance of the publishing of The Translation History of China in the 20th
Century lies in the fact that it links the present with the past in the Chinas translation history and contributes a great deal to the construction of Chinas own systems
of translation theory.
The second feature lies in its entertaining nature. Compared with other monographs of the same category, the remarkable feature of the masterpiece by profes-

Literary translation 393

sor Fang Huawen is manifested in the explanation of the profound and abstract
knowledge in humorous and simple terms. Professor Fang entertains readers with
many marvellous translation episodes and condensed translation theories so that
readers may appreciate them in vivid panorama. The masterpiece is well-organized, logical and easy to remember. It is not a didactic textbook, for the author of
this book aims to enable readers to enjoy the picturesque translation scenery of
the 20th century in China, as a guide does to his tourists. As the author puts it in
the preface (Fang: 2005: 1) the aim of the book is to go out of ivory tower, and to
serve a large number of foreign language learners with knowledge and delight.
The writer of the thesis states that the book evoked positive responses among the
graduate students of Soochow University.
The third feature manifests itself in putting together the invaluable translation
theories which are spread over various fields. China boasts of a long translation
history and translation theory research. But Chinas traditional translation theories are like shells, left and forgotten here and there. The author of the masterpiece is just like a shell picker who blends the random and impressionistic views
on Chinas translation into an organic whole. The pattern of the development of
Chinas translation theory after 1919 is reflected in the monumental book. Such
theories as Liang Qichaos three contributions to Buddhist scripture translation,
Yan Fus three-character criterion (faithfulness, expressiveness, elegance), Qian
Zhongshus transfiguration, Yu Guangzhongs recreation art, Liu Zhongdes translation criterion (faithfulness, expressiveness, closeness) are all portrayed in the
book.

Note
1. The full bibliographical details are: The Translation History of China in the 20th Century.
fang huawen, 229, North Taibai Road, Xian, PRC, 2005 651p. isbn 9787560419985. Price:
RMB 35.

References
Chen, Fukang. 2000. A History of Translation Theory in China. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Languages Education Press. 529 pp.
Delisle, Jean & Judith Woodsworth 1995. Translators through History. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. xvi+345 pp.
Fang Huawen. 2005. The Translation History of China in the 20th Century. Xian: Northwest University Press. 651 pp.
Fan Shouyi. 2004. Translation Studies: Alternative Perspectives. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. 568 pp.

394 Traduction littraire

L Jun. 2005. One Hundred Years Translation Activities Visited, Reading Books 2005 Online.
Available: http://www.gmw.cn/02blqs/200510/07/content_334053.htm.
Ma Zuyi. 2004. A Brief Translation History of ChinaBefore May 4th Movement. Beijing: China
Translation & Publishing Corporation. 463 pp.
Nord, Christiane. 1997.Translating as a Purposeful Activity: Functional Approaches explained.
Manchester: St. Jerome Publisher. 154 pp.
Tan Zaixi. 2004. A Short History of Translation in the West. Beijing: The Commercial Press. 333
pp.
Venuti, Lawrence 1995. The Translators Invisibility: A History of Translation. London and
NewYork: Routledge. 353 pp.

About the Authors

He Aijun, now a lecturer in the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Ningbo University, graduated
from Xian International Studies University with a masters degree in literature. As a member
of The Translators Association of ShaanXi Province, he has translated two English books into
Chinese and published eight articles. Besides, he is now undertaking the task of news update of
Ningbo Governments website.
Yu Yingji, associate professor of English, studies translation and pragmatics now in Ningbo
University. He served as a language teacher when he obtained his MA (English language and
literature) there in Xian International Studies University. He has been doing translation while
teaching, and began to collaborate with his colleagues to compile A New Century Chinese-English Dictionary in Xian since 1995. He worked as Consul for Education in the Chinese Consulate in Melbourne for more than three years and published the dictionary upon his return to
Xian in 2003.
Address of the authors: Faculty of Foreign Languages, Ningbo University, Zhejiang Province,
Peoples Republic of China.
E-mail: heaijunfirst@163.com or aijunhe@hotmail.com.

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