translation of Lu Xun’s works in Parisian academia, and have made pioneering contributions on the translation and research of Lu Xun’s works. On the whole, ideological factors played a decisive role in the translating process of Lu Xun’s works in France, and even in a certain period of time, the translation was imbued with a strong political flavour; nevertheless, in the new historical era, Lu Xun’s works are still given proper attention in France, thus opening the new field for the interpretation and understanding of Lu Xun’s works.
Chapter Six mainly discusses the translation of Ba Jin’s works in France. The
reason why there are a lot of Ba Jin’s works having been translated into French is not that Ba Jin occupies an outstanding position in the modern Chinese literary circle, not that Ba Jin enjoys a special status in the Chinese literary arena after China’s liberation, especially after the Cultural Revolution, but that, first and foremost, Ba Jin has an inseparable affinity with the French culture and literature. From the perspective of historical development, Ba Jin’s works are mainly translated into France after the launch of the reform and opening policies in China. His translated works in France can be divided into two parts: one part consists of his major works written before China’s liberation from the Kuomintang Regime, while the other part is Record of Impressions published after the Cultural Revolution. Investigation of the translated works of Ba Jin as a modern writer in France should inevitably follow its historical development and continuity. Therefore, the translation of Ba Jin’s works in France accentuates a historical process in which French readers approach Ba Jin and further their understandings in a progressive manner. Ba Jin’s personal experiences in France, the influence of world literature, particularly French literature on him, the referential value of his works for French readers to understand Chinese society and his pursuit of truth ― all constitute the important reasons why his works are translated and accepted in France.
Chapter Seven discusses Lao She, one of the most favourite modern Chinese
writers among the French readers. The translation of Lao She’s works in France can be traced to 1946 when his Rickshaw Boy was published in France indirectly
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translated from English. In the following fifty-odd years, Lao She’s major works have been translated in succession in France. In this process, the author discovers that the translation quality of Lao She’s works is continually raised, which, in turn, makes the foundation for the research on Lao She more profound and reliable. Fran?ois Cheng and his daughter’s concerted efforts, Li Zhihua’s unswerving resolution and Paul Bady’s careful and detailed work on the studies of Lao She ― all provide more opportunities for French readers to read and understand Lao She. In the French context, the exotic and humanistic flavours displayed in Lao She’s works are the critical factors determining the extension and continuation of their lives in France. However, to fully understand Lao She still has a long way to go. Through the prism of the French society, Lao She exhibits different images in different periods of time, which provides a certain kind of edifying reference for Chinese readers with their understanding of Lao She.
Through the analyses of the three representative cases, the dissertation not only
deepens the understanding of the historical process of the translation and reception of Modern Chinese Literature in France, but also conduces to the revelation of translation activities, especially the motivation, subject, influencing factors, target context and other important aspects of translation. Generally speaking, the dissertation not only theoretically explores the causes, history, fields and influencing factors concerning the translation and reception of Modern Chinese Literature in France, but also methodologically provides reference for similar researches done in the future. Moreover, it is the first systematic exploration of the translation and reception of Modern Chinese Literature in France through macro-and-micro description and analyses; thus, lays the foundation for relative studies.
Key words: Modern Chinese Literature, France, translation, reception, Lu Xun, Ba Jin, Lao She
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