Literature in Translation: Teaching Issues and Reading Practices

Literature as Identity Formation: Reading Chinese Literature in Translation

117 Literature as Identity Formation: Reading Chinese Literature in Translation Michelle Yeh Literatureplaysaformativeroleinculturalidentity.Chinaprovidesaneminent case in point. Chinese civilization enjoys the longest continuing literary tradition in the world. The longevity and enduring influence of Chinese literature may be attributed to two causes: first, the unity of the written language, which was standardized by the early third century bce, despite a large number of vastlydifferentdialectsacrossthecountry;andsecond,thereverenceinwhich writing is held and the great care with which it is preserved in a predominantly civilian society, led by scholar-officials who are not only well-versed in literature but also knowledgable about its most important authors, editors, and commentators. American students are amazed that even the most ancient works of Chinese literature are preserved in the written and spoken language of modern times. To give an example, the Book of Songs (Shijing) is the first Chinese anthology of songs, odes, and hymns, compiled in the sixth century Bce. Some verses from this collection are not only familiar to Chinese people today but have become common expressions used on a daily basis. Numerous phrases and sayings drawn from poetry, fiction, drama, and essays in subsequent ages have similarly been interwoven into the language. All great literature enriches and elevates the language in which it is written (one needs only consider Shakespeare in English), but for the two reasons mentioned above, China presents a particularly illuminating example of how literature, more than any other form of writing, embodies the values and captures the essence of a culture. Literature is highly respected in Chinese civilization not because it records history but because it is history. Given the profound interconnection between literature and cultural identity , it is important for anyone seeking to understand China to read the great 118 literature in translation worksofChineseliterature.Buthowcanwemakethebestuseoftranslations? It is a well-known fact that literature in translation does not sell in the United States. The contrast with the Chinese-speaking world cannot be starker. In mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, translations of literature written in English and other languages consistently make the best-seller lists. This phenomenonisnotnewbuthasexistedsincetheearlytwentiethcentury,when China embarked on a national project of wholesale modernization. Through translation, classical writers such as Cervantes, Shakespeare, and Goethe, and contemporary writers such as Gabriel García Márquez, Italo Calvino, Milan Kundera, and Haruki Murakami have exerted seminal influences on Chinese writers. In comparison, literature in translation occupies a minuscule niche in the American market. With a few exceptions—perhaps memoirs about the Cultural Revolution and fiction by 2000 Nobel laureate Gao Xingjian— translations of Chinese literature are read primarily in the classroom. Nevertheless, the use of translation in the classroom bodes well for the future of Chinese literature in the United States. Enrollments in Chineselanguage classes at the college level have been rising nationwide in recent years, and more and more high schools now offer Chinese as an elective. This growthcorrespondstothefactthatChinahasbecometheworld’sthird-largest economy,behindtheUnitedStatesandJapan,andChinaistheworld’sleading market for production and consumption. The impact of the large selloff on the Shanghai stock market in February 2007 was felt worldwide. Politically, China is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, and its role in the recent intermittent nuclear negotiations with North Korea and its controversial antisatellite weapon testing in January 2007 demonstrate that China plays an increasingly prominent role in international politics. The lavish opening ceremony at the 2008 summerOlympics in Beijing showcased China’s rise in the world. Although language classes do not necessarily focus on literature, it is common for students who study the language to either advance to literature classes or get some exposure to literature as a window on society and culture. For American students who wish to prepare themselves for the world of the future, in which China is to be a major player, translations provide a feasible way to understand the nation’s history and culture, because proficiency typically takes much longer to achieve for the Chinese language than for European languages. Thus, at some American universities, getting a minor in Chinese does not require years of study of the language; it may be achieved literature as identity formation 119 by taking only courses on Chinese literature in translation. The teaching of Chinese literature in translation is also promoted by such educational programs as the Asian Studies Development Program offered by the East-West Center in Honolulu, which has been successful in introducing American college teachers to Chinese culture and...