Liang Shih-chiu (January 6, 1903 – November 3, 1987), also romanized as Liang Shiqiu, and also known as Liang Chih-hwa (梁治華), was a renowned educator, writer, translator, literary theorist and lexicographer.
Liang was born in Beijing in 1903. His father, Liang Xianxi (梁咸熙), was a xiucai in the Qing dynasty.[1] He was educated at Tsinghua College in Beijing from 1915 to 1923. He went on to study at Colorado College and later pursued his graduate studies at Harvard and Columbia Universities.[2] At Harvard, he studied literary criticism under Irving Babbitt, whose New Humanism helped shape his conservative literary tenets.[3]
After his return to China in 1926, he began a long career as a professor of English at several universities, including Peking University, Tsingtao University, and Jinan University. He also served as the editor of a succession of literary supplements and periodicals, including the famous Crescent Moon Monthly[4] (1928–1933). During this period he published a number of literary treatises which showed the strong influence of Babbitt and demonstrated his belief that human life and human nature are the only proper subjects for literature. The best known among these are The Romantic and the Classical, Literature and Revolution, The Seriousness of Literature, and The Permanence of Literature. In each of these treatises, he upheld the intrinsic value of literature as something that transcends social class and strongly opposed using literature for propagandist purposes. These pronouncements and his dislike for the excessive influence of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and other Romanticists in China triggered a polemic war between him and Lu Xun and drew the concerted attacks of leftist writers. His major works as a translator included James Barrie's Peter Pan, George Eliot's Silas Marner and Mr. Gilfil's Love Story, and Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights.[5]
In 1949, to escape the civil war, Liang fled to Taiwan where he taught at Taiwan Normal University until his retirement in 1966. During this period, he established himself as a lexicographer by bringing out a series of English-Chinese and Chinese-English dictionaries. His translation works included George Orwell's Animal Farm and Marcus Aurelius' Meditations.
Liang is now remembered chiefly as the first Chinese scholar to single-handedly translate the complete works of Shakespeare into Chinese. This project, which was first conceived in 1930, was completed in 1967.[6] He then embarked on another monumental project – that of writing a comprehensive history of English literature in Chinese, which was completed in 1979 and consists of a three-volume history and a companion set of Selected Readings in English Literature in Chinese translation, also in three volumes. Liang’s literary fame rests, first and foremost, on the hundreds of short essays on familiar topics, especially those written over a span of more than four decades (1940–1986) and collected under the general title of Yashe Xiaopin, now available in English translation under the title From a Cottager’s Sketchbook.[7]
Bibliographyedit
"The Fine Art of Reviling". English translation by W.B. Pettus. Los Angeles : Auk Press, 1936.
From a Cottager's Sketchbook, vol. 1. Tr. Ta-tsun Chen. HK: Chinese University Press, 2005.
"Fusing With Nature." Tr. Kirk Denton. In K. Denton, ed., Modern Chinese Literary Thought: Writings on Literature, 1893–1945. Stanford: Stanford UP, 1996, 213–17.
"The Generation Gap." Tr. Cynthia Wu Wilcox. The Chinese Pen, (Autumn, 1985): 33–39.
"Haircut" [Lifa]. Tr. David Pollard. In Pollard, ed., The Chinese Essay. NY: Columbia UP, 2000, 230–33.
"Listening to Plays" [Ting xi]. Tr. David Pollard. In Pollard, ed., The Chinese Essay. NY: Columbia UP, 2000, 233–37.
"Literature and Revolution." Tr. Alison Bailey. In K. Denton, ed., Modern Chinese Literary Thought: Writings on Literature, 1893–1945. Stanford: SUP, 1996, 307–15.
"Men." Tr. Shih Chao-ying. The Chinese Pen (Spring, 1974): 40–44.
^Denton, Kirk (1996). Modern Chinese Literary Thought. Stanford University Press. pp. 49–50. ISBN0-8047-2559-4.
^Chan, Tak-hung Leo (2004). Twentieth-Century Chinese Translation Theory. John Benjamins Publishing Company. p. 198. ISBN0-521-24338-6.
^"Liang Shih-chiu, a Shakespeare Translator, Dies". The New York Times. November 6, 1987. Retrieved November 4, 2008.
^Liang, Shih-chiu (2005). From a Cottager's Sketchbook, Vol.I. trans. Ta-tsun Chen. Chinese University Press. ISBN962-996-218-7. and Liang, Shih-chiu (2006). From a Cottager's Sketchbook, Vol.II. trans. Ta-tsun Chen. Chinese University Press. ISBN962-996-219-5.
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Liang Shih-chiu.
Liang Shiqiu. A Portrait by Kong Kai Ming at Portrait Gallery of Chinese Writers (Hong Kong Baptist University Library).
November 02, 2023
liang, shih, chiu, january, 1903, november, 1987, also, romanized, liang, shiqiu, also, known, liang, chih, 梁治華, renowned, educator, writer, translator, literary, theorist, lexicographer, liang, with, first, wife, cheng, jishu, 程季淑, native, name梁實秋born, 1903, . Liang Shih chiu January 6 1903 November 3 1987 also romanized as Liang Shiqiu and also known as Liang Chih hwa 梁治華 was a renowned educator writer translator literary theorist and lexicographer Liang Shih chiuLiang with his first wife Cheng Jishu 程季淑 Native name梁實秋Born 1903 01 06 January 6 1903Beijing ChinaDiedNovember 3 1987 1987 11 03 aged 84 Taipei TaiwanOccupationWriterChildrenLiang Wenqian Liang Wenqi Liang WenqiangChinese nameTraditional Chinese梁實秋Simplified Chinese梁实秋TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinLiang ShiqiuWade GilesLiang Shih ch iuIn this Chinese name the family name is Liang Contents 1 Biography 2 Bibliography 3 Further reading 4 Notes 5 References 6 PortraitBiography editLiang was born in Beijing in 1903 His father Liang Xianxi 梁咸熙 was a xiucai in the Qing dynasty 1 He was educated at Tsinghua College in Beijing from 1915 to 1923 He went on to study at Colorado College and later pursued his graduate studies at Harvard and Columbia Universities 2 At Harvard he studied literary criticism under Irving Babbitt whose New Humanism helped shape his conservative literary tenets 3 After his return to China in 1926 he began a long career as a professor of English at several universities including Peking University Tsingtao University and Jinan University He also served as the editor of a succession of literary supplements and periodicals including the famous Crescent Moon Monthly 4 1928 1933 During this period he published a number of literary treatises which showed the strong influence of Babbitt and demonstrated his belief that human life and human nature are the only proper subjects for literature The best known among these are The Romantic and the Classical Literature and Revolution The Seriousness of Literature and The Permanence of Literature In each of these treatises he upheld the intrinsic value of literature as something that transcends social class and strongly opposed using literature for propagandist purposes These pronouncements and his dislike for the excessive influence of Jean Jacques Rousseau and other Romanticists in China triggered a polemic war between him and Lu Xun and drew the concerted attacks of leftist writers His major works as a translator included James Barrie s Peter Pan George Eliot s Silas Marner and Mr Gilfil s Love Story and Emily Bronte s Wuthering Heights 5 In 1949 to escape the civil war Liang fled to Taiwan where he taught at Taiwan Normal University until his retirement in 1966 During this period he established himself as a lexicographer by bringing out a series of English Chinese and Chinese English dictionaries His translation works included George Orwell s Animal Farm and Marcus Aurelius Meditations Liang is now remembered chiefly as the first Chinese scholar to single handedly translate the complete works of Shakespeare into Chinese This project which was first conceived in 1930 was completed in 1967 6 He then embarked on another monumental project that of writing a comprehensive history of English literature in Chinese which was completed in 1979 and consists of a three volume history and a companion set of Selected Readings in English Literature in Chinese translation also in three volumes Liang s literary fame rests first and foremost on the hundreds of short essays on familiar topics especially those written over a span of more than four decades 1940 1986 and collected under the general title of Yashe Xiaopin now available in English translation under the title From a Cottager s Sketchbook 7 Bibliography edit The Fine Art of Reviling English translation by W B Pettus Los Angeles Auk Press 1936 From a Cottager s Sketchbook vol 1 Tr Ta tsun Chen HK Chinese University Press 2005 Fusing With Nature Tr Kirk Denton In K Denton ed Modern Chinese Literary Thought Writings on Literature 1893 1945 Stanford Stanford UP 1996 213 17 The Generation Gap Tr Cynthia Wu Wilcox The Chinese Pen Autumn 1985 33 39 Haircut Lifa Tr David Pollard In Pollard ed The Chinese Essay NY Columbia UP 2000 230 33 Listening to Plays Ting xi Tr David Pollard In Pollard ed The Chinese Essay NY Columbia UP 2000 233 37 Literature and Revolution Tr Alison Bailey In K Denton ed Modern Chinese Literary Thought Writings on Literature 1893 1945 Stanford SUP 1996 307 15 Men Tr Shih Chao ying The Chinese Pen Spring 1974 40 44 On Time Tr King fai Tam In Goldblatt and Lau eds The Columbia Anthology of Modern Chinese Literature NY Columbia UP 1995 660 63 Sickness Bing Tr David Pollard In Pollard ed The Chinese Essay NY Columbia UP 2000 227 30 Sketches of a Cottager Tr Chao ying Shih Taipei 1960 Snow Tr Nancy E Chapman and King fai Tam In Goldblatt and Lau eds The Columbia Anthology of Modern Chinese Literature NY Columbia UP 1995 6664 67 Women Tr Shih Chao ying The Chinese Pen Winter 1972 23 29 Further reading editChinese Writers on Writing featuring Liang Shih chiu Ed Arthur Sze Trinity University Press 2010 Notes edit Liang Wenqian Talks About Her Father Wen Hui Bao in Chinese February 21 2006 Retrieved November 4 2008 Liang Shiqiu Merriam Webster s Encyclopedia of Literature Merriam Webster 1995 p 679 ISBN 0 87779 042 6 Fairbank John K Albert Feuerwerker Denis Twitchett 1986 The Cambridge History of China Vol 13 Cambridge University Press p 431 ISBN 0 521 24338 6 Denton Kirk 1996 Modern Chinese Literary Thought Stanford University Press pp 49 50 ISBN 0 8047 2559 4 Chan Tak hung Leo 2004 Twentieth Century Chinese Translation Theory John Benjamins Publishing Company p 198 ISBN 0 521 24338 6 Liang Shih chiu a Shakespeare Translator Dies The New York Times November 6 1987 Retrieved November 4 2008 Liang Shih chiu 2005 From a Cottager s Sketchbook Vol I trans Ta tsun Chen Chinese University Press ISBN 962 996 218 7 and Liang Shih chiu 2006 From a Cottager s Sketchbook Vol II trans Ta tsun Chen Chinese University Press ISBN 962 996 219 5 References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Liang Shih chiu Liang Shiqiu Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Babbitt s Impact in China The Case of Liang Shiqiu The Great Master Liang Shih chiu Has Not Left Us permanent dead link Much ado about translationPortrait editLiang Shiqiu A Portrait by Kong Kai Ming at Portrait Gallery of Chinese Writers Hong Kong Baptist University Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Liang Shih chiu amp oldid 1179279976, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
