East Volume 8

Name: East Volume 8
ISBN: 7531709074

老愚Liaohai Publishing House · ChinaApr 2025

3.5

Word count: 68 words
Chapters: 8
ISBN: 7531709074

Report an error Find this book

Summary

The translations in this Western-volume anthology are for the most part the work of young and middle-aged translators from the past decade, alongside renderings by a generation of writers equally at home in Chinese and Western letters—Lu Xun, Zhou Zuoren, Mao Dun, and others. Translating prose is as difficult as translating poetry, and among several versions of the same work the later is not necessarily the better; here the renderings of older writers and translators such as Ba Jin, Fu Lei, and Wang Zuoliang stand as models that rival the originals and call forth admiration. In recent years the translation and publication of foreign prose in China has begun to move toward serialization and systemization in the form of series. Though omissions and gaps in the classics of foreign prose remain numerous, coverage across regions is not entirely balanced, and the picture does not yet match the prosperity of the essay in the source countries, the outline of a world of major prose nations is already faintly visible. Without the labors of several generations of translators, compiling an anthology of this kind would have been impossible.

Editor's review

Eastern Volume 8 continues this prose anthology's emphasis on the quality of translation. It sets new translations by young and middle-aged translators of the past decade alongside renderings by predecessors such as Lu Xun, Zhou Zuoren, Mao Dun, Ba Jin, Fu Lei, and Wang Zuoliang, letting readers experience within one anthology the linguistic measure of translators from different eras. The editors readily acknowledge that translating prose is as difficult as translating poetry and that among different versions of the same work the later is not necessarily the better; this attitude means the book does not chase fashion but values instead how closely the translation matches the breath of the original. For general readers it serves well as an introductory and expansive reader of foreign prose: read piece by piece, one encounters the works and also the varied features of Chinese translation. For lovers of writing and translation, the exemplary renderings of the older translators deserve especially close reading. As one volume of an anthology, it suits readers who already have a reading plan and are willing to work through it volume by volume, rather than those expecting a systematic literary-historical exposition.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers who enjoy foreign prose and wish to broaden their reading horizons through an anthology
Literary enthusiasts interested in translated language and in comparing the styles of different translators
Students and practitioners of writing or translation who need to study the rhythm of Chinese prose
Readers interested in the translations of Lu Xun, Zhou Zuoren, Mao Dun, Ba Jin, Fu Lei, and others

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking a systematic literary-historical framework and detailed author biographies
Readers who read only contemporary original prose and have little interest in foreign translations
Beginners expecting detailed annotations and introductions for every piece

Reading tips

Read one or two pieces a day in table-of-contents order, noting in the margin the sentences that move you most.
When different translations of the same work appear, read several passages aloud side by side to feel the differences in style.
Read the pieces by older translators and by young and middle-aged translators in separate groups, observing shifts in language style.
After finishing a volume, look back over the contents, pick the three pieces you most want to reread, and make brief notes.

About the publisher

Liaohai Publishing House China · Founded in 1996

Liaohai Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for textbooks and the collation of ancient works. Its publishing scope covers state-approved textbooks, local curriculum materials, supplementary educational books, and national and local ancient-text compilation projects, while also extending into humanities fields such as Eastern philosophy. Its catalog contains about 4,694 titles, with representative works including the multi-volume Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), and its author resources include classic writers and works such as Sima Qian and Confucius. Grounded in educational publishing and the transmission of traditional culture, the press maintains sustained investment in ancient-text collation, forming a publishing profile that balances textbooks and scholarship. Due to limited public information, its more specific publishing directions and features require further supplementation.

版权信息
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

FAQ

Is everything in this book foreign prose?

From the available information, this volume is part of the Western volume of the anthology; the translations come mainly from young and middle-aged translators of the past decade, alongside renderings by writers such as Lu Xun, Zhou Zuoren, and Mao Dun, and exemplary translations by Ba Jin, Fu Lei, and Wang Zuoliang are mentioned. For the specific contents, consult the table of contents; readers may treat it as a curated anthology of translated foreign prose.

Can I read this volume directly without having read the earlier ones?

Yes. An anthology is organized by individual pieces and generally does not depend on plot continuity from earlier volumes. The selection does have an overall thread, however, so reading in volume order will give a smoother sense of the editorial intent; reading this volume directly does not prevent you from enjoying individual translations.

Why are there different translations of the same work?

The material notes that among several versions of the same work the later is not necessarily the better, and that the renderings of older translators can rival the originals. Different versions reflect different handling of tone, rhythm, and syntax, and reading them in comparison helps readers understand translation choices and appreciate Chinese expression more closely.

Is this book suitable for learning translation?

It works well as a supplementary reader. By placing translations by predecessors and by young and middle-aged translators side by side, it lets readers observe how the same language is handled by different translators. But it is not a translation textbook and lacks systematic discussion of technique; it is best used alongside the original texts or other translation teaching materials.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

老愚 Author

Lao Yu: public information about this author is limited. All that is currently known is that nine of the author's works are held in the collection, with representative titles including Tian Di Yi Xing Ke (A Traveler Between Heaven and Earth) and volumes 1 to 4 and 6 to 8 of the Dongfang Juan (Eastern Volume) series. These works are commonly classified under inspirational growth, suggesting that the writing centers roughly on personal development, cultivation of character, and reflections on life. The title Tian Di Yi Xing Ke carries connotations of travel and of finding one's place, while the Dongfang Juan series unfolds its content in multiple volumes on a fairly considerable scale, suiting readers who prefer to proceed volume by volume. Because exact details such as dates of birth and death, nationality, and educational background are unavailable, the author's life story cannot yet be described in detail; readers may instead begin with the works themselves and appreciate their plain, introspective mode of expression, grasping the author's focus and overall profile through subject matter and arrangement.