Yan Fu

Yan Fu (Chinese严复/严复, Pinyin Yan Fu, W.-G. Yen Fu, born February 8, 1853 in Fuzhou, Fujian, † October 27, 1921 ) was a famous translator and scholar of China in the 19th century. In particular, for the translation of Western works and, consequently, the introduction of these ideas in the Chinese culture, he obtained the greatest possible account.

Life

Yan Fu was born on 8 February 1853 in Fujian. In Fuzhou, he graduated from the Naval Academy in 1877 and then went to Greenwich, England, where he took political, sociological and popular scientific courses at the Marine University. With the translation of Thomas Huxley's "Evolution and Ethics " and " Natural Selection " by Charles Darwin, he introduced new ideas in China, especially rezipiert by the intellectuals deployed large influence. The defeat in the Sino- Japanese War seemed these theories ( " Survival of the Fittest " ... ) to confirm and so he translated Herbert Spencer ( 1820-1903 ) " The Principles of Sociology ."

Work as a translator

With the translation of other works, including " On Liberty " and "A System of Logic " by John Stuart Mill (1816-1873) he spoke out in favor of a form of socialism and democracy. His participation in the Gong Zhe Shangshun movement also revealed his political ambitions.

From 1902 he headed the French Institute of the National University of Peking, which was in 1912 renamed the National Peking University as its first director Yan should be. He also taught at several other schools.

After his hopes for a democratic China should not meet, he seemed after 1911 more towards conservatism to lean towards. He supported Yuan Shikai and did not want to participate in the movement of the fourth of May.

In the preface to his translation of "Evolution and Ethics " he named the problems encountered in the production of good translations: " faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance " (engl.: "sincerity, expressiveness and elegance "; Chinese:译 事 三 难: 信 达雅). The fulfillment of these principles was the goal of his work and after heated debate in academic circles, this translated gradually as the standard for translation work. While this was so by Yan Fu is not intended, however, led to significant improvements in this area. Yan Fu died on 27 October 1921.

Credentials

  • Benjamin I. Schwartz ( 1964): "In Search of Wealth and Power: Yen Fu and the West ", Cambridge: Press of Harvard University Press Belknop.
  • Shen Suru (1998): " Lu Xin Da Ya: Yan Fu Fanyi Lihun Yanjiu ", Beijing: Commercial press.
832212
de