Libraly Journal

Libraly Journal ›› 2025, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (407): 128-138.

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Selector and Glossator ≠ English Translator: A Probe into the Selected-Annotated Chinese-English Version of Hong Lou Meng Published by the Pei-sin Book Co., Ltd. Shanghai 

Ge Wenfeng (The Foreign Studies School, Huaibei Normal University)   

  • Online:2025-03-15 Published:2025-03-17
  • About author:Ge Wenfeng (The Foreign Studies School, Huaibei Normal University)

Abstract:

In 1933, the Dream of the Red Chamber and the Lone Swan (Selections), published by Shanghai Pei-sin Book Co, Ltd, has been regarded as an important translated and edited version in the history of the English renditions of Hong Lou Meng. However, this version has not been profoundly studied by academics so that the relevant discourse about it is full of fallacies. Based on the original documents, it can be found that the translations of Hong Lou Meng in Pei-sin version are totally selected from the abridged English version Dream of the Red Chamber (1929) by Wang Chi-chen. Therefore, Yuan Jiahua and Shi Min are selectors and glossators, but not translators. The base text of Wang’s version is the Cheng Jia edition Hong Lou Meng, but the base text of the Chinese characters in Pei-sin version is the Cheng Yi edition Hong Lou Meng. In the whole work, Yuan and Shi selected renditions, named and translated the chapter titles, edited Chinese manuscripts, and wrote 153 annotations and 18 commentaries. Although the Hong Lou Meng selected and annotated by Yuan and Shi is not an independent translation, it still has unique documentary value as an abridged translation from Wang’s rendered text.

Key words:

The Pei-sin Book Co., Ltd. Shanghai, Hong Lou Meng, Selections and annotations, Wang Chi-chen