Abstract:

In its cross-cultural journey as a literary text, Fu Sheng Liu Ji, since its English translation by Lin Yutang, has been rendered into 14 Languages and adapted into Kunqu Opera bearing the same title performed with English or French captions, indicating its wide appreciative reception overseas. There are three major types of conception of Fu Sheng Liu Ji in the English-speaking world: translational, literary and extra-literary. The translational conception of the work can be evaluated on the basis of the work’s translation review, foreign-language publication and library collection, the most significant factors in gauging the reception of the translated work. In the macro context of Chinese culture “going global”, “thick translation”, which better serves Sino-logical purposes, has become a workable strategy. The literary conception of the work is revealed in arguments with regard to the work’s genre, modern feature, narrative structure, female roles, etc. The extra-literary conception of the work is centered on sexual identity, sexual space, emotional tradition, etc., which are fresh generative insights into the work. These conceptions combined present a fairly complete ecology of the work’s reception in the English-speaking world, and may also paradigmatically inform and inspire studies of the reception of Chinese literary works overseas.