A Survey of the Yangs’ Versions of Lu Xun’s Short Stories: 1954 vs. 1960

Abstract

Lu Xun (1881-1936) has been acclaimed “Father of Modern Chinese Literature”. He is the first writer to use the vernacular to write fiction. His stories have laid a solid foundation for the development of modern Chinese fiction. The well-known husband-and-wife translators Yang Hsien-yi and Gladys Yang have always been celebrated for their good command of both Chinese and English, precise and fluent translation as well as perfect cooperation so as to be chosen to translate all of Lu Xun’s works into English by Beijing Foreign Languages Press (FLP). As for Lu Xun’s short stories, their versions are characterized by their smooth British English, idiomatic expressions, and loyalty to the original, though there are some misunderstanding, omission, and misinterpretation.