YuHua’sBrothersinandoutofChina：ACriticalReview

QUANYu-bin

【Abstract】This article offers a critical review of the existing evaluation of Brothers，both the Chinese and English texts，focused on reviews of the English translation，through which the reception of the novel is examined.It is found that unlike the heated controversy over the novel in China，Brothers received warm critical reception in the English-speaking world，though also with criticism.However，there are still insufficient reviews of the English version，concerning its translation quality and style.Thus，“translators invisibility” is still a common phenomenon.It is therefore concluded that a sociological analysis of its production，circulation and reception in the target culture is both significant and worthwhile to shed new light on the mechanism by which Chinese literature can be successfully exported.

【Key Words】Brothers； English translation； controversy； reception

1.Introduction

Renowned as an avant-garde novelist characterized by his artistic creativity，Yu Hua （1960- ），one of contemporary Chinas best-selling authors，has been devoted for decades to piercingly exposing the moral disintegration and social depravity as well as to reflecting the hardships and sufferings of the common people in post-1949 China by his examination of the nation's political，economic and cultural transformation through the years.Thanks to his works full of keen penetration，outstanding imagination and detailed description，he has been appreciated as one of the most highly ranked writers both at home and abroad.His works have been translated into several languages，including French，English，German，Spanish and Italian.Among his warmly received works，To Live （1992），translated by Michael Berry，and Chronicle of a Blood Merchant （1995），translated by Andrew F.Jones，both published by Random House in 2003 （the English version），have long enjoyed a high international acclaim.

After a few years of recess since the publication of Chronicle of a Blood Merchant，Yu Huas another full-length novel came out.The years of 2005 and 2006 witnessed the publication of the two volumes of Brothers，humorously，satirically and mercilessly castigating Chinese society from the Cultural Revolution to the present day，which aroused a fierce controversy in and out of China.Several scholars in China often cross verbal swords concerning this controversy.The English translation of Brothers by Eileen Cheng-yin Chow and Carlos Rojas was first released in 2009，which has also caused quite a stir in the English-speaking countries.The following of this paper presents a critical review of the existing studies on the novel itself and its English version.

2.The novel in China

By narrating two boys growing to maturity，Brothers offers a snapshot of the tremendous transformation of Chinese society in forty years，from the Cultural Revolution into a hyper-capitalist society.However，Brothers has often been subjected to an intense controversy by readers from all walks of life over the reality，rationality，logicality and other related aspects of the stories told by Yu Hua.Here comes the brief examination of literary criticism and reception of Yus Brothers in China.

Chen Sihe，a professor of literature at Fudan University，observes that “he is generally appreciative of Brothers，which according to him is an exact and excellent example of realism，unfolding before readers the reality both straightforwardly and euphemistically”.For instance，the plot that Baldy Li intends to go to the outer space by spaceship is regarded by some domestic scholars as absurd and illogical，while Professor Chen argues that “it is Baldy Lis inner aspiration of being reborn，to turn over a new leaf after coming back to the earth” （2007：52-64）.Hong Zhigang notes that “Brothers seems to be filled with vulgar language，yet it is indeed an artistic expression combined with human beings extreme depression and indulgence” （2006：98）.

Nevertheless，negative evaluations of Brothers crop up here and there.Critics on this side are too stunned to believe that the novel，coarse and obscene，is actually from Yu Hua，the first-rate novelist in modern China.The book Pulling out Yu Huas Teeth，Taking Stock of Yu Hua's“Brothers”Shop （2006），are almost exclusively dedicated to attacking Brothers as vulgar，simplistic，and immoral.With its abundant collection of sharp remarks from domestic critics，the book systematically criticizes the numerous contents in Brothers that can not hold water.

To sum up，controversies over Yu and his works keep on going in China.Anyway，what can be assured is that Yu has spared no efforts to seek self-improvements and to find a way of his own.Wang Shicheng notes that “Whether with the philosophical meditation hard to understand in 1980s，the secular concern and peaceful tranquility in 1990s，or the startling absurdity and incredibility in the 21st Century，his works to some degree have the symbolic meaning of cultural spirit and stupendous changes in human society” （2005：237-238）.Then what is the feedback from the readers in the English-speaking world？ What is their attitude towards Chinese society shifting from enthusiastically making revolution to making money？ The following is an elaboration of the reception of the English translation of Brothers.

3.Reception of the English translation

Then what caused an even greater sensation is the novels English translation.Co-translated by Eileen Cheng-yin Chow and Carlos Rojas，the husband-and-wife duo，it was first published in 2009 by Random House in New York and Macmillan Publishers in London.Eileen Cheng-yin Chow，born in Taiwan，teaches at the Department of East Asian Literature and Civilizations，Harvard University and Carlos Rojas，a professor of Duke University，is an active researcher in contemporary Chinese literature and culture.Following its publication，about thirty English-language reviews were published in high-impact periodicals and websites.Some of these critical pieces are reviewed below，as “one way of examining the reception is by looking at the reviews of a work，since they represent a ‘body of reactions to the author and the text” （Munday，2008：154）.

Jess Row （2009），reviewing for the New York Times Book Review，welcomes Brothers as “one of the first attempts by a Chinese novelist to create a popular epic for the generation that grew up in the Cultural Revolution，came of age in the 1980s，survived the era of the Tiananmen massacre and emerged as the winners -- and losers -- in Chinas market economy”.As for the English translation，Row observes that “reading ‘Brothers in English can be a daunting，sometimes vexing and deeply confusing experience.Partly this has to do with the difficulty of finding an English equivalent for Yu Huas extremely direct and graphic Chinese”.It is concluded that Brothers “will fall on ears that，while not entirely deaf，are somewhat hard of hearing”.That is，English readers will find it too “strange” to be palatable，which，according to the reviewer，results from the wide “chasm of common reference and understanding between China and the West”.

In his review carried in The Los Angeles Times，Ehrenreich （2009） points out，“Brothers is a consistently and terrifically funny read.For all its populism，Brothers is no light entertainment but a caustic and painful satire from which almost nothing emerges unscathed”.As for the English translation，Ehrenreich notes that “Yus language，deftly translated by Eileen Cheng-yin Chow and Carlos Rojas，is anything but lyrical.Even his metaphors are crude：they couldnt help laughing，happier than a pair of toads feasting on the succulent flesh of a swan”.In Ehrenreichs words，Brothers has been “deftly” translated so that the lyrical emotion Yu tries to convey can be accurately perceived.Thats why Ehrenreich concludes that “Brothers is used like a blunt and effective satirical instrument with no light entertainment but a caustic and painful satire from which almost nothing emerges unscathed”.

Austin Ramzy review in Time concludes that “no other literary works can be sharper or more savage than Brothers concerning the portraits of contemporary China” （2009）.Newsweek （2009） also published a two-page book review summing up Brothers in detail from the two stepbrothers grim and impoverished childhood during Cultural Revolution to Chinas reform era in post-Mao period.

Maureen Corrigan （2009） of the popular program Fresh Air of the National Public Radio in America comments：“Brothers is a tremendous novel in tone and historical scope and narrative technique.In recognition of this terrific literary achievement，I think that，instead of the Year of the Ox，this should be the Year of Yu Hua”.

Julia Lovell （2009）s review in The Guardian has a low opinion of the novel.She notes that “Yu Huas ambition here is to create an epic of Chinas last four decades：a portrait of the countrys transformation from political thuggery to money worship.In the interests of achieving a faithful likeness，he has discarded the cool，sparing voice that made his name as a serious novelist between the 1980s and 1990s，and opted for crudeness in almost every respect”.In particular，Lovell observes that the book “suffers from the misogyny that sours a good deal of contemporary Chinese fiction by men”.In this sense，it is concluded that “This is an old story； Yu Hua tells us one that we haven't heard a hundred times before.So contemporary China is in crass，chaotic meltdown between communism and capitalism； again，tell us something we don't already know”.

In short，the English version of Yus Brothers has received comparatively active reviewing from the English-language press，though also with criticism.Opinions are divided concerning the content and style of the novel.Likewise，the quality of the English translation is judged in conflicting ways.It is however obvious that the active reviewing of the novel helped promote the sales of Brothers in the English-speaking countries.

4.Conclusion

It is found that although Brothers received comparatively warm critical reception in the English-speaking world，unlike the heated controversy over the novel in China，there are still insufficient reviews of the English version，concerning its translation quality and style.Thus，“translators invisibility” is still a common phenomenon （Venuti，1995）.The above sorting-out of reviews of Yus Brothers in and out of China is aimed to establish a solid foundation for further studies of the novel from a sociological point of view.For a decade or more “sociological turn” has held sway in translation studies.However，there is still much more to be done.Drawing on Pierre Bourdieus field theory and Bruno Latours actor-network theory，researchers need to consider the translators purpose and habitus，the translating process，the production of the translated version and its circulation in the target market.Only in this way can we shed new light on the translation，circulation and reception of contemporary Chinese literature abroad.

References：

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作者简介：全瑜彬（1992-），女，浙江绍兴人，浙江财经大学2014级硕士研究生，主要研究方向为翻译理论与实践。