Translations and studies of V. Rasputin and Russian rural prose in China

Abstract

The article presents an analytical review of translations and researches of V. Rasputin's works and Russian rural prose in China. The author notes that Russian “rural prose” and the work of the major writer of this genre, Rasputin, have outstanding artistic characteristics and have an important influence on Chinese modern and contemporary literature. This article discusses in detail the main stages of studying Rasputin's work and “rural prose” in Chinese literary criticism, as well as outlines and comments on the various scientific points of view of Chinese scholars. The article identifies three stages in studying this phenomenon of Russian literature: the first stage - 1980s-1990s, when Chinese literary scholars focused on ethical issues and issues of national character, seeing in the rural prose an attempt at spiritual salvation and the revival of national consciousness. The second stage is from the 1990s to the first decade of XXI century, in the period of “reform and opening up” in China when contradictions between urban and rural areas were intensified, and many modern Chinese writers expressed in their works a call to protect national culture, which caused their natural interest in V. Rasputin's works, depicting the fierce clash of national culture and Western civilization in the period of social transformations. Finally, the third stage is the beginning of the 21st century, when Chinese studies of Russian rural prose gain many new directions and perspectives (comparativist and narratological studies).