"Renowned for his motto “Feet in both Eastern and Western cultures, heart in critiquing the universe,” Lin Yutang (1895-1976) returned to Shanghai in 1927. Besides serving as the editor-in-chief for publications such as Lunyu 論語 (The Analects), Renjianshi 人間世 (This Human World), Yuzhoufeng 宇宙風 (Cosmic Wind), Tianxia 天下 (T'ien Hsia), and Xifeng 西風 (West Wind), Lin Yutang also led as columnist for the English weekly “The Little Critic” in The China Critic 中國評論週報. He’s English essays from “The Little Critic” were soon compiled into a book. Then, his work swiftly found its way into French, published simultaneously in La Politique de Pékin (The Politics of Beijing, 1914-1940) and later as an offprint, titled L’Humour chinois ou Recueil d’essais, satires et esquisses (Chinese Humor: Essays, Satires, and Sketches). This paved the way for Lin Yutang’s literary journey through Europe.
Many of Lin Yutang’s English essays from the era of “The Little Critic” were subsequently reimagined in Chinese and published, marking a pivotal phase in his literary trajectory, as it signifies a distinct stage in his literary viewpoint and the formation of his prose writing style, still requires further in-depth examination. Furthermore, the process of translating “The Little Critic” into French has remained relatively understudied. Therefore, this paper focus on the genesis and translational journey of Lin Yutang’s “The Little Critic” into French. Through the lens of Walter Benjamin’s concept of “panoramic literature” (la littérature panoramique), it explores the global generation and transformation of the essay and sketch genres, aiming to delve into the multifaceted implications of Lin Yutang’s “The Little Critic” born amidst the rapid flow of world cultures and the convergence of Eastern and Western intellectual currents in Shanghai. This study seeks to elucidate the shaping of modern Chinese prose aesthetics, the dual nature of translating China and imagining the world, and the representation of modernity, thus bridging the existing gaps in research."
Many of Lin Yutang’s English essays from the era of “The Little Critic” were subsequently reimagined in Chinese and published, marking a pivotal phase in his literary trajectory, as it signifies a distinct stage in his literary viewpoint and the formation of his prose writing style, still requires further in-depth examination. Furthermore, the process of translating “The Little Critic” into French has remained relatively understudied. Therefore, this paper focus on the genesis and translational journey of Lin Yutang’s “The Little Critic” into French. Through the lens of Walter Benjamin’s concept of “panoramic literature” (la littérature panoramique), it explores the global generation and transformation of the essay and sketch genres, aiming to delve into the multifaceted implications of Lin Yutang’s “The Little Critic” born amidst the rapid flow of world cultures and the convergence of Eastern and Western intellectual currents in Shanghai. This study seeks to elucidate the shaping of modern Chinese prose aesthetics, the dual nature of translating China and imagining the world, and the representation of modernity, thus bridging the existing gaps in research."
Page：
173-216
Keywords：
Lin Yu-tang; The Little Critic; World Literature; Bilingual Writing
BULLETIN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHINESE LITERATURE NATIONAL CHENGCHI UNIVERSITY NO.41
