East Asian translations of Jean-Paul Sartre’s pre-1950 literary works

Abstract

Starting from his first appearance in an East-Asian literary magazine and ending with his last works to be translated before the decline of his popularity in Hong Kong and Taiwan during the Cold War, the period 1938–1975 saw extensive translations of Sartre’s literary works in East-Asia (Japan, Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong). This study examines Sartre’s literary works published before 1950, by which most of his renowned ones have been published in France. Divided into Japanese and Chinese sections, it first elaborates on the state of translation of Sartre’s literary works in East Asia from 1938 to 1975 before explaining the phenomenon of multiple translated versions and their differences. The focus then turns to two specific translation cases, one in Japanese and another in Chinese, as examples to illustrate the relation between the vibrant scene of translation attempts within the East Asian region and the wartime situations of the Second World War and the Cold War era. By conducting these investigations, this essay aims to outline how, in Japan, the wartime situation impacted the practice and publication of translations and how, in the case of China, the wartime experience of translators shaped their translation strategies and interpretations regarding Sartre’s literary works.