The Importance of Cannibalism: Montaigne's ＂Essays＂ as a Vehicle for the Cultural Translation of Chineseness in Lin Yutang's ＂The Importance of Living＂

食人主義的必要：蒙田《隨筆》‧林語堂《生活的藝術》‧中國性‧文化翻譯

韓若愚(Rivi Handler-Spitz)

《編譯論叢》 5卷1期 (2012/03) Pp. 121-158

https://doi.org/10.29912/CTR.201203.0005

摘要

本文首先介紹法國散文家蒙田的著作「隨筆」在中國的翻譯史，然後介紹深受此書影響的林語堂的「生活的藝術」（1937）以及此書是如何針對美國讀者，用英文寫作的出版背景。最後，本文試圖探討林語堂接觸過蒙田著作的可能性。通過比較「隨筆」和「生活的藝術」的風格以及主題，本文作者發現這兩本書具有許多共同點並由此推測林語堂很有可能接觸過蒙田的著作。然而，雖然林語堂運用如蒙田一樣閒適的文筆，並且像蒙田一樣經常引導讀者反思他們對外國根深蒂固的偏見，林語堂在「生活的藝術」一書中卻從未提及蒙田的大名，反而強調他的文學風格深受中國文學傳統的熏陶。林語堂爲何遮掩蒙田對他的影響呢？通過研究林與他兩位美國編輯Pearl Buck和Richard Walsh的往來書信，本文作者發現其中暗示林語堂試圖迴避蒙田的原因可能是基于出版策略的考慮：掩蓋蒙田的影響使得林語堂能夠在與美國讀者產生共鳴的同時，能以正宗的中國人的身份自居。

關鍵字

林語堂 ； 蒙田 ； 翻譯 ； 文化適應

並列摘要

This article begins by tracing the history of translations of Montaigne's Essays into Chinese. Next it introduces Lin Yutang's ＂Importance of Living＂ (1937) and describes the circumstances under which it was published-in the United States for American readers. Third, it speculates how Lin may first have encountered the Essays. Stylistic and thematic evidence from within ＂The Importance of Living＂ strongly suggests that Lin knew Montaigne's work. Yet despite Lin's adoption of a Montaignien conversational tone and both authors' penchant for making readers reexamine their ingrained cultural stereotypes, Lin never mentions Montaigne as an influence. Instead, he invents for himself an indigenous Chinese literary heritage. Drawing on information regarding Lin's relationship with his American editors, Pearl Buck and Richard Walsh, I argue that the decision to suppress Montaigne's name from ＂The Importance of Living＂ may have been strategic. Omitting mention of Montaigne enabled Lin both to present himself as a truly authentic translator of Chinese culture to Americans and simultaneously to address his Western readers in a familiar and non-alienating manner.

並列關鍵字

Lin Yutang ； Montaigne ； translation ； cultural appropriation

參考文獻

王兆勝(2006)。林語堂大傳。北京:作家出版社。

沈啟無編(2005)。近代散文抄。北京:東方出版社。

林語堂(1978)。語堂文集。臺北:臺灣開明書店。

林太乙(1967)。林語堂傳。臺北市:聯經。

郁達夫（1935） 。「現代的散文導論」下。收於︰中國新文學大系，散文卷二。上海︰上海良友圖書印刷公司。