Dai Wangshu
Encyclopedia
Dai Wangshu (also Tai Wang-shu or Tai Van-chou) (March 5, 1905—February 28, 1950) was a Chinese
poet, essayist and translator active from the late 1920s to the end of the 1940s. A native of Hangzhou
, Zhejiang
, he graduated from the Aurora University
, Shanghai
in 1926, majoring in French
.
He was closely associated with the Shanghai Modernist school, also known as New Sensibility or New Sensation School, a name inspired by the Japanese modernist writer Riichi Yokomitsu. Other members of the group were Mu Shiying
, Liu Na'ou, Shi Zhecun
, and Du Heng, whose Third Category thesis (that a writer could be on the left but remain independent), Dai defended against the hard line taken by the May Fourth Movement
veteran Lu Xun
.
Between 1932 and 1935 Dai studied in France
where he was a student at the University of Lyon's Institut franco-chinois, and published several poems in French. He collaborated in translating modern Chinese literature with French writer and academic Étiemble
, and met contemporary French poets such as Jules Supervielle
.
During the Sino-Japanese War
, Dai worked in Hong Kong
as a newspaper editor. He was arrested and put into jail for several months during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
. It was during this period in prison that Dai developed acute asthma. After the war, he returned to Shanghai and then Beijing
, and died there having accidentally overdosed on the ephedrine he took to control his asthma.
His early poetry has numerous intertextual links with the French Neo-symbolist poetry of Paul Fort
and, in particular, Francis Jammes
; yet numerous references to pre-modern Tang Chinese
lyric texts can also be discerned in his early poems. Some scholars have assumed that this "symbolist influence" came from more well-known French poets such as Verlaine
and Baudelaire. However, while Dai Wangshu and other poets in China knew Verlaine's work through the versions of the English symbolist Ernest Dowson
, there is no evidence of an early close inter-textual relationship with Baudelaire. In the late 1940s, when he had returned from Europe, and already shifted from Neo-symbolism to a more generally modernist style (that drew also on Daoist texts), Dai did translate Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal
into Chinese. Dai, who had visited Spain
before the Spanish Civil War
, was the first to translate the poetry of Federico García Lorca
into Chinese.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
poet, essayist and translator active from the late 1920s to the end of the 1940s. A native of Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
, Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
, he graduated from the Aurora University
Aurora University (Shanghai)
Aurora University was a pre-eminent Catholic university in Shanghai from 1903 to 1952.The founder was Father Joseph Ma Xiangbo S.J. and French Jesuits. The University was founded on 27th February, 1903. Ma Xiangbo left in 1906 and the university was kept by French Jesuits until the coming of...
, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
in 1926, majoring in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
.
He was closely associated with the Shanghai Modernist school, also known as New Sensibility or New Sensation School, a name inspired by the Japanese modernist writer Riichi Yokomitsu. Other members of the group were Mu Shiying
Mu Shiying
Mu Shiying was a Chinese writer who is now best known for his modernist short stories. He was active in Shanghai in the 1930s where he contributed to journals like Les Contemporains , edited by Shi Zhecun.He was born in Cixi, Ningbo, Zhejiang and studied Chinese literature at Shanghai Guanghua...
, Liu Na'ou, Shi Zhecun
Shi Zhecun
Shi Zhecun was a Chinese author and journal editor in Shanghai during the 1930s. He also wrote poetry and essays, but is now most known for his modernist short stories exploring the psychological conditions of Shanghai urbanites...
, and Du Heng, whose Third Category thesis (that a writer could be on the left but remain independent), Dai defended against the hard line taken by the May Fourth Movement
May Fourth Movement
The May Fourth Movement was an anti-imperialist, cultural, and political movement growing out of student demonstrations in Beijing on May 4, 1919, protesting the Chinese government's weak response to the Treaty of Versailles, especially the Shandong Problem...
veteran Lu Xun
Lu Xun
Lu Xun or Lu Hsün , was the pen name of Zhou Shuren , one of the major Chinese writers of the 20th century. Considered by many to be the leading figure of modern Chinese literature, he wrote in baihua as well as classical Chinese...
.
Between 1932 and 1935 Dai studied in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he was a student at the University of Lyon's Institut franco-chinois, and published several poems in French. He collaborated in translating modern Chinese literature with French writer and academic Étiemble
Étiemble
Étiemble , born 26 January 1909, Mayenne, died 7 January 2002, Vigny) was an essayist, scholar, novelist, and promoter of Middle Eastern and Asian cultures...
, and met contemporary French poets such as Jules Supervielle
Jules Supervielle
Jules Supervielle was a French poet and writer born in Uruguay.Jules Supervielle always kept away from Surrealism which was dominant in the first half of the twentieth century...
.
During the Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, Dai worked in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
as a newspaper editor. He was arrested and put into jail for several months during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
The Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began after the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Young, surrendered the territory of Hong Kong to Japan on 25 December 1941 after 18 days of fierce fighting by British and Canadian defenders against overwhelming Japanese Imperial forces. The occupation lasted...
. It was during this period in prison that Dai developed acute asthma. After the war, he returned to Shanghai and then Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, and died there having accidentally overdosed on the ephedrine he took to control his asthma.
His early poetry has numerous intertextual links with the French Neo-symbolist poetry of Paul Fort
Paul Fort
Paul Fort was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. At the age of 18, reacting against the Naturalistic theatre, Fort founded the Théâtre d’Art...
and, in particular, Francis Jammes
Francis Jammes
Francis Jammes was a French poet. Coming from an ancient family, he spent most of his life in his native region of Béarn and the Basque Country and his poems are known for their lyricism and for singing the pleasures of a humble country life...
; yet numerous references to pre-modern Tang Chinese
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
lyric texts can also be discerned in his early poems. Some scholars have assumed that this "symbolist influence" came from more well-known French poets such as Verlaine
Verlaine
Verlaine is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege. On January 1, 2006 Verlaine had a total population of 3,507. The total area is 24.21 km² which gives a population density of 145 inhabitants per km². The municipality contains the villages...
and Baudelaire. However, while Dai Wangshu and other poets in China knew Verlaine's work through the versions of the English symbolist Ernest Dowson
Ernest Dowson
Ernest Christopher Dowson , born in Lee, London, was an English poet, novelist and writer of short stories, associated with the Decadent movement.- Biography :...
, there is no evidence of an early close inter-textual relationship with Baudelaire. In the late 1940s, when he had returned from Europe, and already shifted from Neo-symbolism to a more generally modernist style (that drew also on Daoist texts), Dai did translate Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal
Les Fleurs du mal
Les Fleurs du mal is a volume of French poetry by Charles Baudelaire. First published in 1857 , it was important in the symbolist and modernist movements...
into Chinese. Dai, who had visited Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
before the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, was the first to translate the poetry of Federico García Lorca
Federico García Lorca
Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca was a Spanish poet, dramatist and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27. He is believed to be one of thousands who were summarily shot by anti-communist death squads...
into Chinese.
Further reading
- Chinese Writers on Writing featuring Dai Wangshu. Ed. Arthur SzeArthur SzeArthur Sze is a second-generation Chinese American poet.-Background:Sze was educated at the University of California, Berkeley, and is the author of eight books of poetry...
. (Trinity University Press, 2010).