Abstract:

A limited number of studies have observed that the state translation of Chinese literary works in the 1950s was generally deemed to be propaganda, thus failing to attract readership in the English world, especially in Anglo-American society. Although relatively objective, this observation is in danger of overgeneralization. It neglects the nature of state translation practice and the multiple translation effects in different recipient cultures. Drawing on some primary historical records and relevant studies, this paper explores the distribution mechanisms of the International Bookstore, the major distribution agency of translated works, and the reception of English translations of Chinese literary works in South and Southeast Asian countries, such as India and Indonesia, at the time. The study shows that the organized outreach of the state-sponsored English translation works were distributed widely in India and Indonesia, greatly facilitating the creation of the socialist realist literature in the two countries. The study is expected to reassess the political value of the state translation practice and effects at the early stage.

Keywords: state translation practice; English translation of Chinese literature; International Bookstore; distribution; reception; India; Indonesia; national image construction

摘要：

目前,数量有限的相关研究一致认为,20世纪50年代由政府机构主动发起组织的英译中国文学作品在英语世界（主要是英美等西方国家）被视为“宣传”作品而遇冷。这一解读可能有陷入以偏概全的“先验论”的危险,忽视了这一时期国家翻译实践作为新中国国家形象建构或国家叙事与国家战略行为的本质,也忽视了译本接受情况的多样性。借助于数量有限的一手史料和相关研究,本文首先集中考察了英译中国文学作品主体发行机构国际书店的发行机制,继而追踪50年代英译中国文学作品在发行量较大的、以印度和印度尼西亚为代表的南亚、东南亚英语流行国家的发行、传播和接受情况。研究表明,在20世纪50年代国际书店发行的英译中国文学作品广泛流传于印度和印度尼西亚,在这两国的社会主义现实主义文学的形成过程中发挥了不可忽略的媒介作用。本研究有助于我们重估、反思新中国早期国家翻译实践的政治价值。

关键词: 国家翻译实践, 英译中国文学, 国际书店, 发行, 接受, 印度, 印度尼西亚, 国家形象建构