Qilin

Jun'ichirō Tanizaki / Tian Han / Li ShuquanMar 2025

3.9

Word count: 6.2K words
Chapters: 9

Summary

Junichiro Tanizaki is the leading figure of the Japanese "aesthetic school"; his works combine the aesthetic logic of diabolism—"beauty in ugliness"—with aesthetic romanticism, striking the literary world like a stone thrown into a pond and shattering the sky's reflection. His creative creed that "literature and art should not be constrained by the purposes of life or by morality" directly influenced Chinese writers such as Yu Dafu, Zhou Zuoren, Ouyang Yuqian, and Guo Moruo. The dramatist Tian Han was an even greater admirer, once admitting: "I have long been influenced by Junichiro Tanizaki, and I too have a 'craving for scabs' when it comes to abnormal psychology such as sadism and masochism." His translations of Tanizaki's works, published under the pen name "Li Shuquan," were among the most important translation achievements in the Chinese literary world at the time, and it was with these translations that the "Tanizaki boom" in China began.

Editor's review

The value of this book lies not in Tanizaki himself but in the layer of "translation history": Tian Han's translations of Tanizaki's works under the pen name "Li Shuquan" are a key link in modern Chinese literary circles' reception of the Japanese aesthetic school. Readers can see the convergence of two perspectives—how Tanizaki's creative creed that "art is not constrained by the purposes of life or by morality" entered the Chinese context through Tian Han's translations and shaped the reading tastes of Yu Dafu, Zhou Zuoren, Ouyang Yuqian, Guo Moruo, and others. Tian Han's own confession of a "craving for scabs" for abnormal psychology is itself the key to understanding his dramatic works and translation choices. Read it as a document of a "translation scene": read Tanizaki's text, but also the translator's choices, linguistic sensibility, and the atmosphere of the era. Suitable for readers interested in Sino-Japanese modern literary relations, translation history, and the spread of aestheticism; especially useful for course reading in comparative literature or modern literary history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

University teachers, students, and researchers studying the translation history of modern Chinese literature
Readers interested in the Japanese aesthetic school and the Chinese translation history of Junichiro Tanizaki
Theater enthusiasts concerned with the relationship between Tian Han's creative thought and translation practice
Readers in comparative literature courses who need primary translation materials

Not a good fit for

General readers who only want Tanizaki's novel plots and do not care about translation background
Readers who are resistant to aestheticism and depictions of abnormal psychology
Readers expecting fluent modern Chinese translations and unaccustomed to the linguistic sensibility of early translations

Reading tips

First read the translator's preface or notes written by Tian Han under the pen name "Li Shuquan," then proceed to the main text, paying attention to the translator's word choices.
Read alongside other Chinese translations of Tanizaki's original works and observe the differences between early translations and later ones.
Combine materials on the reception of Tanizaki by Yu Dafu, Zhou Zuoren, and others to trace the spread of the "Tanizaki boom."
Read Tian Han's statements about Tanizaki's influence alongside his dramatic works, noting the shift in aesthetic taste.

版权信息
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FAQ

Is this book a new original work by Junichiro Tanizaki?

No. According to the materials, its core is Tian Han's translations of Junichiro Tanizaki's works under the pen name "Li Shuquan"; it is a translation achievement, not a new novel by Tanizaki. It should be understood within the context of the Chinese literary world's reception of Tanizaki.

Why is this book said to have special significance for the Chinese literary world?

The materials point out that Tian Han's translations of Tanizaki's works under the pen name "Li Shuquan" were important translation achievements in the Chinese literary world at the time; the "Tanizaki boom" in China began with these translations and influenced Yu Dafu, Zhou Zuoren, Ouyang Yuqian, Guo Moruo, and others.

Do I need to understand aestheticism before reading this book?

Not systematically, but knowing that Tanizaki is regarded as the leading figure of the Japanese "aesthetic school" and that his creative creed emphasizes that art is not constrained by the purposes of life or by morality will make it easier to understand the translation choices and the literary world's reactions at the time. You can read the translations first and then fill in the background.

Will the early translations feel distant?

The linguistic sensibility of early translations is distant from contemporary Chinese, and that is part of the reading. Slow down, pay attention to Tian Han's word choices and sentence patterns, and treat the distance as material for observing a translation scene rather than as an obstacle.

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About the author

Jun'ichirō Tanizaki Author · Japanese · 1886–1965

Jun'ichirō Tanizaki was a modern Japanese novelist and a leading representative of aestheticist literature. Born in 1886 into a rice-merchant family in Tokyo, he studied in the Japanese literature department of Tokyo Imperial University before dropping out. In 1910 he made his name with the story "The Tattooer," which brought him attention in literary circles. After the Great Kanto Earthquake, he moved to the Kansai region, and his focus gradually shifted toward classical aesthetics. He left important works in both fiction and prose, including "The Makioka Sisters," "Naomi," "In Praise of Shadows," and "A Portrait of Shunkin." He also translated "The Tale of Genji" into modern Japanese, helping to spread the classical work. He died of kidney disease in 1965. His writing is delicate and refined, and he had a profound influence on modern Japanese aestheticist literature.

Tian Han Author · Chinese · 1898–1968

Tian Han (1898–1968), a native of Changsha, Hunan, courtesy name Shouchang, was a founder of modern Chinese drama, a playwright, and a poet. He studied in Japan in his early years, helped organize the Creation Society, and founded the South China Society. He wrote the lyrics to the March of the Volunteers, which later became the national anthem of the People's Republic of China. His plays such as Guan Hanqing and traditional operas including The White Snake and Xie Yaohuan have had a profound influence. The seven works collected here range from plays such as Xing Guniang, Before Dawn, Qilin, and Returning South to pieces like Between God and Man, The Repeat Offender, and The Human Scab, covering varied themes that often engage with social reality and human circumstance, with a style that is both lyrical and critical. These works appear under categories such as prose and miscellaneous writings, classic works, and foreign literature, showing that his writing spans drama, prose, and translation, in a plain yet deeply moving style.

Li Shuquan Author · Chinese · 1898–1968

Li Shuquan (1898–1968), whose real name was Tian Han, was an important playwright in the history of modern Chinese drama and the lyricist of the March of the Volunteers. Under the pen name Li Shuquan, he translated and introduced foreign literature, focusing on the works of the Japanese writer Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, including The Kirin, Between Gods and Men, The Face Tumor, and The Repeat Offender. He was one of the early Chinese advocates of Tanizaki's literature. At the same time, he was a prolific playwright, producing more than sixty plays, including Guan Hanqing and Song of Resurrection, with wide-ranging subjects and a strong sense of both literary craft and the stage. As public information about his activities under this pen name is limited, his translations and creative work are known mainly through these texts, which left their mark on the dissemination of modern Chinese literature and drama.