Articles

ALDRIDGE, A. Owen: The Vindication of Philosophical Optimism in a Pseudo-Confucian Imitation of Voltaire’s „ Candide“, p. 117
FRÜHAUF, Heiner: Urban Exoticism and its Sino-Japanese Scenary, 1910-1923, p.126
FUEHRER, Bernhard: The Court Scribe’s Eikon Psyches. A Note on Sima Qian and his Letter to Ren An, p.170
SLOBODNÍIK, Martin: The Early Policy of Emperor Tang Dezong (779-805) towards Inner Asia, p.184
YIP, Terry Siu-han: Texts and Contexts: Goethe’s Works in Chinese Translation Prior to 1985, p.197
ZETZSCHE, Jost O.: Cultural Primer or Bible Stories in Contemporary Mainland China, p.217

ABSTRACTS

THE VINDICATION OF PHILOSOPHICAL OPTIMISM IN A PSEUDO-CONFUCIAN IMITATION OF VOLTAIRE'S "CANDIDE"

A. Owen ALDRIDGE
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Program in Comparative Literature
707 South Mathews Ave., Urbana IL 61801, U.S.A.

The aim of this essay is to analyze a short fiction entitled L'Avanturier chinois, written by an anonymous writer, published in 1773, not known as yet among the sinologists and literary scholars, in relation to Voltaire's Candide, as well as to then European and ancient Confucian philosophy. In the realm of Chinese studies, L'Avanturier chinois belongs to the category of chinoisserie and in its time it was a part of the French literary and philosophical "mirage" of China.

URBAN EXOTICISM AND ITS SINO-JAPANESE SCENERY, 1910-1923

Heiner FRÜHAUF
National College of Naturopathic Medicine,
11231 S.E. Market, Portland, OR 97216, U.S.A.

The aim of this study is to show the beginnings of the Sino-Japanese exoticism in the Late Meiji, Taishô and May Fourth periods on the background of Euro-American, mainly French symbolist and decadent vision of the Other, using much material unexplored as yet in contemporary scholarship, and covering different genres of literature, art, architecture and living styles.

THE COURT SCRIBE'S EIKON PSYCHES. A NOTE ON SIMA QIAN AND HIS LETTER TO REN AN

Bernhard FUEHRER
East Asia Department, School of Oriental and African Studies
University of London, Thornhaugh Street/Russell Square
London WC1H OXG, England

The aim of this study is to analyse the literary rhetoric connected with the letter of Sima Qian to Ren An, its connection with epistolary and other traditions of antiquity and the later critical evaluation through history.

THE EARLY POLICY OF EMPEROR TANG DEZONG (779-805) TOWARDS INNER ASIA

Martin SLOBODNÍK
Institute of Oriental and African Studies, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
Klemensova 19, 813 64 Bratislava, Slovakia

This article deals with the political strategies of the Tang Emperor Dezong towards the Tibetan Empire and the Uighur Empire and some reasons which lay behind his preferable treatment of the Tibetans before the year 787. It shows the dilemma of Chinese statesmen after the An Lushan rebellion when they were obliged to make alliances with foreign powers from Inner Asia in order to stabilize the situation within China.

TEXTS AND CONTEXTS: GOETHE'S WORKS IN CHINESE TRANSLATION PRIOR TO 1985

Terry Siu-han YIP
Department of English Language and Literature, Hong Kong Baptist University
224 Waterloo Rd., Kowloon, Hong Kong

The aim of this article is to evaluate most of the translations of Johann Wolfgang Goethe's works into Chinese beginning with 1902 or 1903 and ending 1984 in the Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The greatest attention is devoted to The Sorrows of Young Werther and Faust.

CULTURAL PRIMER OR BIBLE STORIES IN CONTEMPORARY MAINLAND CHINA

Jost O. ZETZSCHE
1205 Front Street, Lynden, WA 98264, U.S.A.

In the PRC, where the Bible can only be bought through the church, and religious propaganda is prohibited, are Bible Stories read as a substitute for the Bible or for its literary and historical value. The aim of this study is to analyze some of approximately twenty collections of these stories, which seem to be in favor with Chinese readers.