Zheng Zhenduo

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Zheng Zhenduo
Traditional Chineseてい
Simplified Chinese郑振铎
Xidi
(courtesy name)
Traditional Chinese西にしたい
Simplified Chinese西にし

Zheng Zhenduo (December 19, 1898 – October 17, 1958)[a] was a Chinese journalist, writer, archaeologist and scholar.

He made a significant contribution towards the establishment of the Chinese literature and the editing of a variety of literary magazines. In 1921, he, Mao Dun, Jiang Baili, Geng Jizhi (耿濟), and others organized the Literary Study Society (文學ぶんがく研究けんきゅうかい; Wenxue yanjiu hui). In 1923, he became the chief editor of Fiction Monthly. In addition, he in succession participated in editing Min Chao (閩潮), Xin Shehui (しん社會しゃかい), Wenxue Xunkan (文學ぶんがく旬刊じゅんかん). In late 1931, he became a professor at both Yenching University and Tsinghua University, the president of Faculty of Arts and the director of Chinese department of Jinan University. He was also the chief editor of The World's Library (世界せかい文庫ぶんこ; Shijie Wenku) at the same time. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, he was assigned to be head of the Cultural Relic Bureau (文物ぶんぶつきょく), Director of the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and literary research institute, the assistant minister of cultural department, committee member of State Council scientific program committee and Chinese Academy of Science philosophical social sciences, the vice-chairman of Chinese folk literature and art research council, etc. He died in a plane crash in the Soviet Union during his journey in 1958.

Biography[edit]

Family[edit]

Zheng Zhenduo was born on 19 December 1898 in Yongjia, Zhejiang Province. His ancestral home was in Changle, Fujian province. He was born in a poor family. Together with two younger sisters, he was raised by his mother because his father and grandfather died when he was still a teenager.

He was named "Zhenduo" (鐸) by his grandfather. "Zhen" () denotes arousing an action and "Duo" (鐸) is a kind of big bell. His grandfather wanted him to ring like a great bell to summon and to arouse people. In addition, his grandfather gave him the childhood name "Mu Guan" (かん; lit. 'Wooden official').

Schooling[edit]

In 1917, Zheng began studying at the Beijing Railway Management School and graduated in March 1921. Beyond classroom, he read a lot of books and developed an enormous interest in social sciences, Chinese literature and Western literature and thus developed a critical mind. During the May Fourth Movement, he was a student representative, spreading the news of student movements in Beijing. In 1919, he helped publish two magazines called "New Society" (しん社會しゃかい; Xin Shehui) and "National Salvation Speeches Weekly" (救國きゅうこく講演こうえんしゅうほう; Jiuguo jiangyan zhoubao).

In January 1921, Zheng Zhenduo and twelve others, including Mao Dun and Ye Shengtao founded the earliest literary society of the New Literature Movement, Literary Research Association (文學ぶんがく研究けんきゅうかい; Wenxue yanjiu hui; also known as the "Literary Association"), which advocated realism and opposed art for art's sake.

Careers throughout his life[edit]

Zheng had been a journalist, a modern writer, archeology and a literature scholar throughout his life.

In May 1921, Zheng helped set up a drama society called "Demotic Opera Troupe" (みん眾戲げきしゃ; Minzhong Xiju She) with Mao Dun, Ye Shengtao, Chen Dabei, Ouyang Yuqian, Xiong Foxi and other writers. They published a monthly magazine named Drama (おどけげき; Xiju) on 31 May in the same year.

In 1922, Zheng established the first magazine for children, Children's World (兒童じどう世界せかい) In January 1923, he became the chief editor of a monthly magazine of novel, Fiction Monthly. After the May 30 Incident in 1925, he helped founding a newspaper called Gongli Ribao (公理こうり日報にっぽう). From then on, he wrote many books including Zhongguo Wenxue Shi (中國ちゅうごく文學ぶんがく; lit. 'History of Chinese Literature') and 1943 Diary (1943ねん日記にっき).

Zheng had been a scholar giving lectures in universities, a researcher of the academy and a journalist since 1931. He taught in the Department of Chinese in Yenching University, in Jinan University from 1935 to 1941 as the Dean of faculty of Arts and in Peking University since 1953. After 1949, he became the Secretary for the Culture Department and Cultural Heritage Department in China.

Exile to France[edit]

In April 1927, Chiang Kai-shek launched a sudden attack on thousands of suspected Communists in the area he controlled. Many innocent students and movement activists were killed. Writers, including Zheng, were under political pressure. Therefore, he left his family for France in May 1927. During the years living in Paris, he kept mailing his diary to his wife, which was published as a book named Diary of Travels in Europe (おうゆき日記にっき; Ouxing Riji).

Return to China[edit]

He continued his journalistic career after coming back to China in 1929 and founded Jiuwang Ribao (すくいほろび日報にっぽう). In October 1945, he founded a weekly magazine called Democracy (民主みんしゅ) to oppose the civil war and Chiang Kai-shek's pro-American policy.

Cultural Preservation[edit]

Due to the invasion of Japanese troops, Shanghai was besieged starting from 1937 and many significant cultural assets were lost. In the light of this, Zheng devoted himself to the rescue and protection of aged Chinese documents and antiques. Chen was a founding member of the Shanghai "Rare Book Preservation Society" and its leader. Disguising himself as a staff member in a stationery store, named Chan Sixun (ひねおもえくん), he managed to save many aged books from damage or loss to the outside world.

Death[edit]

On 17 October 1958, Zheng led national cultural delegates to visit Arabia and Afghanistan. He died in the crash of a Tupolev Tu-104 in Kanash, Chuvashia, Soviet Union during the journey.

Journalism[edit]

Zheng started his journalistic career in the 1920s during the May Fourth Movement. Together with some classmates including Zhong Tao (なかすえ), he got a first taste of editing in starting a publication named Jiuguo Jiangyan Zhoukan (救國きゅうこく講演こうえんしゅうかん). The magazine - being published in Wenzhou for only 6 to 7 times - was closed by the authorities since it enraged a government official.

As one of the founders of a youth magazine, Xin Shehui (しん社會しゃかい), Zheng aimed at criticizing the Beijing government. It began its publication on 1 November 1919, which consisted of four pages. The aims of the magazine was to:

  1. advocate the social service
  2. discuss society problems
  3. introduce social theories
  4. research on common people education
  5. record society matters
  6. criticize society shortcomings
  7. narrate society real states
  8. report news of the organization

Zheng gave many speeches about the student movement in Beijing. On top of criticizing, he wanted to make good use of the New Culture Movement to publicize and promote new social ideals for the Chinese future development. Chen Duxiu suggested that Xin Shehui could be edited with a more approachable style accepted by the general public. The magazine was finally published on 1 November 1919 throughout China, arousing tides of attention from the public, especially amongst the young readers. However, as Zheng and his co-editors were still inexperienced in editing by that time, the magazine was thought to be immature in editing and too sloganeered. On the hand, the content of the magazine upset the military side of the government. Thus, in one month's time, the government called the publication to a halt.

In addition, he established Literary Study Society (文學ぶんがく研究けんきゅうかい; Wenxue Yanjiu Hui) with Mao Dun and Ye Shengtao in November 1920. In January 1923, he took over the position of chief editor of Fiction Monthly from Mao Dun. He was the chief editor on and off for nearly 9 years. He advocated a literary advocacy of "Blood and Tears" and supported a writing style of realism.

In June 1925, he founded a newspaper called Kongli Ribao (公理こうり日報にっぽう) with Wu Yuzhi and Ye Shengtao in Shanghai. This newspaper was aimed at criticizing the "May Thirtieth Incident" and the rising foreign imperialism in China.

Also, he contributed in various newspapers like Jiuguo Jiangyan Zhoubao (救國きゅうこく講演こうえんしゅうほう) and Xinxue Bao (しんがくほう) to awaken Chinese people from old traditions. These articles were mainly about social issues and the evil deeds of the old traditional practices. Zheng wrote articles from different aspects like the liberation of women, morality, social psychology and the liberation of political power. They all advocated more people to rethink the old values position.

Contribution to literature[edit]

Translation[edit]

Zheng was proficient in foreign languages including English, Russian, Indian languages, Greek and Latin. He did a great job in translating a lot of Russian and Indian literature.

Zheng had started translation of Russian literature since early 20s. His works included the works, paper and preface of Turgenev (1818-1883), Gogol (1809-1852), Chekov (1860-1904), Gorky (1868-1936) and Tolstoy (1828-1910).

Zheng also translated many Indian literature. He mainly translated the poems as well as the Indian ancient-times fable such as Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941). Zheng had translated a prominent number of Tagore's poems to Chinese since the 1920s. In October 1922, he published his translation of Stray Birds (飛鳥あすかしゅう). In August 1925, he published The Indian Fable (印度いんど寓言ぐうげん). There were 55 translation works of his in total.

Zheng started his study in Greek and Roman literature in his early age. In 1929, he published The Story of Love (戀愛れんあいてき故事こじ). Afterwards he translated Heroes of Greek and Roman Mythology (まれ臘羅神話しんわ傳說でんせつちゅうてき英雄えいゆう傳說でんせつ). Then in 1935, he published a book called Greek Mythology (まれ臘神ばなし), an analysis of Ancient Greek mythology. In a second edition of Greek Mythology published after the creation of the People's Republic, his introduction included Karl Marx's well-known A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy.

Literature Union[edit]

As the previous newspapers and magazines were banned by the government, Zheng believed that a proper established literature union would make things run easier. In January 1921, he established Wenxue Yanjiu Hui (Literary Study Society 文學ぶんがく研究けんきゅうかい), which literally means literature research union, with Mao Dun, Ye Shengtao and 12 other people in the related field.

The Union's first publication was Wenxue Xunkan (文學ぶんがく旬刊じゅんかん). It was published along with the well known newspaper called Shishi Xinbao (Current events newspaper 時事新報じじしんぽう). He revealed the goal of the publication and the literature views of the union. He believed that literature is important and capable to influence the society. It was not merely an era, a place or one's reflection, but it acted as a frontier, which could affect the morality of human beings. Also, he strongly opposed to the old style of Chinese literature, of setting leisure and religions as main themes. He supported the writing of life – one theme in new realism literature approach.

He also expressed his view on the development of Chinese literature. As the connection between the Chinese literature and the world's literature was far too little, the Chinese lofty spirit could not be shared by the rest of the world. He treated that as the Chinese's biggest humiliation. Therefore, he was so devoted in the field of literature, eagered to strive for a higher position of the Chinese literature in the world. Under the influence of the May Fourth Movement, he thought that the major responstility of the Chinese Literature was to inspire youngsters' revolutionary mission in order to strengthen the power of China.

Realism[edit]

Within the May Fourth movement, he adhered the direction of realism for New literature era. He thought literature liked 'mirror of a life'. This means his writing mostly revealed the real faces of societies. Also, he put a lot of emphasis on the importance of creative living. During his long composing and researching career, he showed a fully comprehensive realism of literature. He thought that literature must contribute to "life":

We need the "blood" of literature, "tears" of literature. Both of them will become the trend of Chinese literature; the writing consists of not only "blood" and "tears", but also consists of "literature"; the "blood" and "tears" experience and feeling of author are aesthetic for success in writing.

Literature should consist of the highest ideal of the author, which form the soul of the article, in order to make it meaningful to the readers and the whole of society.

Classical literature[edit]

Starting from the late 1920s, Zheng was teaching Chinese literature History in universities. At that time, he did much in making research in Chinese classical writing. For example, he used his pen name, Bao Fun, to write Yuenqu Xulu (もときょくじょろく) in the Novel Monthly (小說しょうせつ月報げっぽう). Also, he finished editing The History of the Chinese Literature (中國ちゅうごく文學ぶんがく) in 1930.

Romanticism[edit]

Zheng put heavy emphasis on emotional elements in literature, highlighting its importance in distinguishing between literature and science. He advocated that literature functions to instill a passion in the readers' heart. One example was the historical novel, Arrest of the Fire Stealer (しゃてき逮捕たいほ).

Works[edit]

Academic[edit]

  • 中國ちゅうごく古代こだいこく選集せんしゅう》 (Zhongguo gu dai mu ke hua xuan ji) (Selected ancient Chinese woodcuts)
  • 文學ぶんがく大綱たいこう》 (Wen xue da gang) (Outline of literature)
  • 插圖そうずほん中國ちゅうごく文學ぶんがく》 (Cha tu ben Zhongguo wen xue shi) (Illustrated history of Chinese literature)
  • 中國ちゅうごくぞく文學ぶんがく》 (Zhongguo su wen xue shi) (History of Chinese popular literature)
  • 中國ちゅうごく文學ぶんがく論集ろんしゅう》 (Zhongguo wen xue lun ji) (Essays on Chinese literature)
  • にわか國文學こくぶんがくりゃく》 (Eguo wen xue shi lüe) (Brief history of Russian literature)
  • 佝僂くるしゅう》 (Goulou ji) (Rickets)
  • 西にしたいしょばなし》 (Xidi shu hua) (Xidi on books)
  • てい鐸文しゅう》 (Zheng Zhenduo wen ji) (Collected works of Zheng Zhenduo)
  • だん金瓶かなかめうめばなし〉》 (Tan Jin Ping Mei Cihua) (On Plum in the Golden Vase)
  • 編輯へんしゅう方針ほうしんあずか編輯へんしゅうけい劃》 (Bianji fangzhen yu bianji jihua) (Editing: policy and plan )

Novels[edit]

  • しゃてき逮捕たいほ》 (Arrest of the fire-stealer)
  • かつらこう塘》 (Gui gong tang)
  • 家庭かていてき故事こじ》 (Jia Ting de Gu Shi)

Prose[edit]

He wrote more than 20 prose texts and the following are some of the examples:

  • 中山ちゅうざんしゅう》 (Shan zhong Za Ji)
  • 海燕うみつばめ》 (Hai Yan)
  • 避暑ひしょかい》 (Bei Shu Hui)
  • 大同だいどう》 (Da Tong)
  • やま》 (Shan Shi)
  • 離別りべつ》 (Li Bie)
  • 《貓》 (Mao) (Cat)
  • おうゆき日記にっき》 (Ou xing ri ji ) (Diary of Travels in Europe)
  • 最後さいごいち》 (Zui Hou yi ke)
  • 月夜つきよはなし》 (Rou Ye Ji Hua )

Magazines and newspapers[edit]

  • しん社會しゃかい (Xin Shehui) (New Society)
  • 兒童じどう世界せかい (Children's World)
  • おどけげき (Xiju)(Drama)
  • 救國きゅうこく講演こうえんしゅうかん (Jiuguo Jiangyan Zhoukan)
  • 小說しょうせつ月報げっぽう (Novel Monthly)
  • しんがくほう (Xinxue Bao)
  • 時事新報じじしんぽう (Shishi xinbao) (Current events newspaper)
  • すくいほろび日報にっぽう (Jiuwang Ribao)

Chief editor[edit]

  • 世界せかい文庫ぶんこ》 (Shi jie wen ku) (The World's Library)
  • 《醒世つねげん》 (Xingshi hengyan)
  • 警世けいせい通言つうげん》 (Jingshi tongyan)

Translation works[edit]

  • 戀愛れんあいてき故事こじ》 (The Story of Love)
  • 飛鳥あすかしゅう》(StrayBird)
  • にわかこくせんきょくしゅう》 (The Russian War Collections)
  • 灰色はいいろ》 (Grey Horse)
  • 印度いんど寓言ぐうげん》 (The Indian Fable)
  • まれ臘羅神話しんわ傳說でんせつちゅうてき英雄えいゆう傳說でんせつ》 (Heroes from Greek and Roman Mythology)
  • まれ臘神ばなし》 (Greek Mythology)
  • れつきつねてき歷史れきし》 (The History of Liena Fox)

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ His pen names were Baofen (たから芬), Guo Yuanxin (かくはじめしん) and CT. His courtesy name was Xidi.

References[edit]

  • Chen, Fukang. (1996). Yi dai cai hua: Zheng Zhenduo zhuanいちだいざいはな:てい鐸傳》 (Biography of Zheng Zhenduo). Shanghai: Shanghai People's Press (上海しゃんはい人民じんみん出版しゅっぱんしゃ). ISBN 7-208-02371-9
  • Zheng, Erkang. (1998). Shiliu you hong le: huiyi wo de fuqin Zheng Zhenduo石榴ざくろまたべにりょうかい憶我てき父親ちちおやてい鐸》 (The pomegranates are red again: Remembering my father, Zheng Zhenduo). Beijing: Renmin University Press (人民じんみん大學だいがく出版しゅっぱんしゃ). ISBN 7-300-02848-9
  • Chen, Fukang. (1997). Ming jia jian zhuan shu xi:Zheng Zhenduo名家めいか簡傳しょけい-てい鐸》(Biographies of famous figures: Zheng Zhenduo). Beijing: Zhong guo hua qiao publishing house (中國ちゅうごく華僑かきょう出版しゅっぱんしゃ). ISBN 7-80120-120-5
  • Zheng, Zhenduo & Zheng, Erkang. (1986). Zhongguo xian dai zuo jia xuan ji - Zheng Zhenduo中國ちゅうごく現代げんだい作家さっか選集せんしゅうてい鐸》. (Selected works of modern Chinese authors – Zheng Zhenduo) Hong Kong: San lian shu dian Xianggang fen dian; Beijing: Renmin wenxue Press (人民じんみん大學だいがく出版しゅっぱんしゃ). ISBN 962-04-0476-9
  • Zheng, Erkang. (2002). Xing yun gao qiu : Zheng Zhenduo zhuanほし隕高あき : てい鐸傳》(Star fallen at height of autumn: Biography of Zheng Zhenduo). Beijing: Jinghua Press. ISBN 7-80600-589-7
  • Lu, Rongchun. (1998). Zheng Zhenduo zhuan (Biography of Zheng Zhenduo) 《てい鐸傳》. Fuzhou: Haixia wenyi Press (はな廈文げい出版しゅっぱんしゃ). ISBN 7-80640-086-9

External links[edit]