William Zhang was born in Suzhou, and his date of birth is190265438+1October1. His real name is Zhang, and his alias is. 19 14 entered the German Department of Tongji Medical College. At that time, the students of German Department were Shang, Luo and Tang Xingtian. Mr. Feng Zhi entered school a little later than them. After graduating from Peking University, William Zhang engaged in the introduction of German literature. In his early years, he wrote the Outline of German Literature History (1926, Zhonghua Book Company) and translated Selected Poems of Goethe (1933, Modern Book Company), all of which were published under Zhang's real name. It has attracted the attention of scholars who study the spread history of German literature in China. For example, Yu of the Federal Institute for Germany of Tongji University once published a paper devoted to this work in German Studies (see: The History of German Literature —— An Outline of German Literature on Zhang, first published by China, published in German Studies 1997 1 issue). But at that time, Zheng Zhenduo mistakenly wrote his name as "Zhang". William Zhang was only 24 years old when he wrote the Outline of German Literature History. I think his attention to the history of literature and Goethe benefited from his study in Peking University, because Ork himself is a famous German literary historian, and both Ork and Yang attach great importance to the introduction of classical works (Lessing, Goethe, Schiller, etc. ). 1928 translated and published Strom's novella Soul, which was signed by William Zhang. In 1930s, he published a paper about Walter von vogel Wade, a famous German lyric poet in the Middle Ages, in Nanjing Literature Monthly (1936, Volume 8, No.4), and used Zhang's original name. Wei Lu's signature can be found in the novel The First Step (1954, 1962) translated and published by anna seghers in 1950s.
Since the forties, William Zhang has been teaching German at Nanjing Central University, which is now Nanjing University. He pays equal attention to translation teaching and research. In German teaching, he has written and edited many books on German grammar, such as Dictionary of Common German Words (1989, Jiangsu native) and German Word Segmentation and Passive Dynamics (1993, Shanghai Foreign Language Education, formerly known as German Word Segmentation and Passive Dynamics 1979, Business). As for textbooks, the third volume of college German textbooks was compiled in the early years (1958, Time Press). Published the Essays on German Teaching (Nanjing University Press, 2000).
Zhang is a famous expert on Schiller studies in China. He wrote a long Schiller entry for the Foreign Literature Volume of the Encyclopedia of China. He has translated three famous plays by this great German writer: William Tell (1955, New Literature and Art, 198 1, Shanghai translation, new edition 1) and Don Carlos (198/kloc-). The origin of his Schiller translation can also be traced back to his apprenticeship in Peking University. His teacher, Yang, translated and published another famous play by Schiller, The Robber, as early as 1926.
William Zhang attaches great importance to the study of Sino-German literary relations. His writings on Goethe and China (such as A Story in the History of Sino-German Cultural Exchange-Goethe Continues Poems for Kaiyuan Palace) can be found in Literary and Art Newspaper (6th Edition) 1992, Journal of Nanjing University (4th issue) and Schiller. Published in Yuhua (No.1963,No. 1), the academic paper "Investigation and comparison of Chinese Yuan and Ming operas in German translation and broadcasting" has a great influence on Chinese German academic circles. After reading his thesis, I realized that his study of Sino-German literary relations also had early mentoring factors. When he was studying in the German Department of Peking University, German sinologists Wei Lixian and Hong once taught here. Wei Lixian gave an academic report on Goethe and China at that time, and Hong later translated many Yuan and Ming operas, such as The West Chamber, Pipa and Peony Pavilion. His old friend and colleague at Nanjing University after liberation, Professor Chen Quan, wrote a book A Study of Sino-German Literature (this book is the Chinese translation of Chen Quan's doctoral thesis 1933 at Kiel University in China). These Mr. William are all famous in the text, which contains the profound meaning of being a teacher and friend. Interestingly, his student Yang won international fame for his translation studies of Goethe and his works on Sino-German relations (such as Goethe and China and Goethe in China).
Zhang is also famous for translating GDR literature, especially the works of the famous worker writer Willie Bredel. Since 1950s, he has translated Braddell's trilogy of friends and relatives: Father (1958, translated by Shanghai New Literature and Art, 1984, translated by Shanghai) and Son (1956, translated by Shanghai New Literature and Art, 1958). 1984 new version of Shanghai translation 1), grandchildren (1958, new literature and art, 1984, new version of Shanghai translation 1), the will of a German soldier (1953), and fifty. Bredel's Selected Novels (1958) and William Zhang's translation of Brad have lasted for 40 years. This persistent interest and spirit in translating an important writer is rare in today's literary translation field. Therefore, another important significance of his translation of German writer Brad lies in the enlightenment of his rich and independent translations to today's impetuous translation circles: translators need great tenacity and lasting love for a writer. William Zhang's academic paper on Bradley is kept in the archives of the author's hometown. In addition, in the aspect of translating the literature of the Democratic Republic of Germany, Zhang William and Lin Yijin also translated the famous anti-fascist novel The Seventh Cross by the famous German writer anna seghers in the 1950s (1953, Shanghai Cultural Work Publishing House).
Zhang also attaches great importance to the translation of German fairy tales. Schwab's German Folklore (1992, Jiangsu Children) was selected and translated, and Hogg's Fairy Tale (1988, Shanghai Children's Publishing House, 1997 reprinted) was translated. Seven fairy tales from Boennhoff were collected, among which The Crane King was first published in 1955) and Grimm's Fairy Tales (edited with Wei Yixin, 1997, for children). His translation of Hoffman's novella Miss Feng Si Kou Dai Li (198 1), the third volume of the translation series of Shanghai Translation Publishing House, and his later translation of Hoffman's Selected Novels in cooperation with Han Shizhong, 1988, Shanghai translation) are also well received by peers.
Professor Zhang William was awarded the Goethe Medal by the German Democratic Republic (1984) and the Grand Cross Medal by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany (1988) for his outstanding contribution to Sino-German cultural exchange. In order to commemorate his centenary birthday, it is more appropriate for his students to commemorate him in the traditional way of holding an international symposium on German language and literature in Nanjing. We have noticed that the Commemorative Collection of German Studies Conference edited by Hua and Hua has been published by Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
Early life
Teodoro, former Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Shanghai, awarded Professor Zhang the William Grand Cross.
Zhang was born in a scholarly family in Suzhou. After studying the Book of Songs and Zuo Zhuan at home, I entered the local primary school. 19 14, after graduating from high school, did he lose? Shanghai was admitted to Tongji Medical College founded by the Germans in the French Concession at that time. The academic system of this school is five years of medicine, four years of engineering and four years of preparatory course, which is also a German school. German school curriculum was equivalent to the four-year middle school at that time. Besides Chinese, mathematics, science, culture, history, geography, animals and plants, as well as pictures and gymnastics are all taught by German teachers. Such learning conditions and environment laid a solid foundation for Mr. Zhang, who was only fifteen or sixteen years old at that time. But these four years of study have not been smooth sailing. 19 14 World War broke out. One day, the French Concession authorities suddenly sent Annan soldiers to surround the school and ordered all teachers and students to leave school that day, so the school was closed. Fortunately, some famous people in Shanghai managed to transfer all teachers and students to the former site of China Public School in Wusongpao, Taiwan Province Province to continue their classes. However, at the end of the war, Britain forced the Beiyang government to repatriate all the German overseas Chinese and Tongji teachers. The school was taken over by the Board of Directors of China Institution, which is the predecessor of Tongji University today. At this time, Mr. Zhang had just graduated from a German school for four years, and the certificate was issued by the German principal. Teacher Zhang originally wanted to study engineering and civil engineering, but when he saw that all the teachers graduated from Germany, he dropped out of school to make a living. At that time, the repatriation of overseas Chinese in Germany was the responsibility of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and overseas Chinese in Germany often applied for exemption in writing or asked people who knew German. Mr. Zhang was introduced to the Ministry as an interpreter.
After the war, after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, the president of Peking University, Cai Yuanpei, hired Professor Oak from Germany to give lectures in the newly established German Literature Department, recruiting students who have a German foundation and can attend lectures directly. Mr. Zhang was admitted to Peking University, became the first student of the department, and took part in the May 4th Movement shortly after class. In addition to the German language and literature history and German literature taught by Professor Ork, there are many compulsory courses in this department, such as the history of China's philosophy, the history of European literature, and the scientific methodology of Hu Shi and others. Elective courses: Ci, a hundred schools of thought contend, public international law, etc. Mr. Zhang chose French as his second foreign language because he learned a little English in high school. Mr. Cai Yuanpei's aesthetic lecture also left a deep impression on Mr. Zhang. During his four-year study in Peking University, Mr. Zhang, introduced by Professor Aulke, worked as a private interpreter for Minister Boye at the German Embassy in China and taught Chinese to Counsellor Rhodes. In his spare time, he studied landscape painting with Jin Gongbei and two painters, and studied oil painting with Swiss painter Gates in Peking University Painting Research Association. When graduating from Peking University, Professor Aulke left Mr. Zhang as a teaching assistant, saying that President Cai had left a message before going abroad, which was very sincere. As his mother was ill, Mr. Zhang hurried back to the Soviet Union. However, forced by his life, he went to Beijing and worked in the technical room of Siemens Motor Factory in Beijing and Tianjin for nearly 10 years, which left an excellent impression on the factory. The factory opened in China again. In order to show that he didn't forget his colleagues, companies in Beijing and Nanjing gave him gifts such as refrigerators and telephones, and the German president also visited his apartment.
During that time, although Zhang William was dealing with several German engineers every day, he didn't give up his job. He translated and published Stormer's novel Soul, Outline of German Literature History, Introduction to Modern Famous Novels, Selected Poems of Goethe and other books.
Zhang William's German teaching began at 1933. At that time, the national government had moved its capital to Nanjing, and the army university established in the Qing Dynasty also moved south. President Yang Jie hired him as a German teacher. After the outbreak of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Mr. Zhang traveled to Changsha, Zunyi and finally to the suburbs of Chongqing. At this time, Nanjing Central University also moved to Shapingba, Chongqing. 1943 The College of Literature invited Mr. Zhang to be an associate professor and part-time teacher of German in the Foreign Languages Department. The letter of appointment was written by Zhang. He has been using this name ever since. I thought it was a transliteration of a German name. But he said, is this from the Ming Dynasty? Fu Gong's official proverb. The full text of "Official Proverbs" is: "Officials are not afraid of my strictness, but I am afraid of my honesty, and the people are not satisfied with my ability and obey my fairness; People dare not slow down, and honest officials dare not bully. Gong Mingsheng, winning streak. " ? Look at Xi 'anbeilin.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Luda was ready to move to Taiwan, and Mr. Zhang was able to return to Ning on 1946. 1947 CUHK foreign languages department opened the earliest German major in China. After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC), it was renamed Nanjing University, where Mr. Zhang has been teaching. /kloc-at the end of 0/963, he was promoted to professor and served as the director of teaching and research section, giving lectures in universities in Guangzhou, Chongqing, Xi, Hangzhou and Shanghai. 1987 65438+ 10 retired. In the meantime 195 1 participated in the land reform in northern Anhui, 1956 joined the NLD. 198 1 year, he was invited to give a speech at Humboldt university in the former GDR, which awarded him the Humboldt medal. 1984 was awarded the "Goethe Medal" by the General Administration of the Institute of Classical Literature of the German Democratic Republic. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to Sino-German cultural exchange, German President weizsacker awarded him the "German Federal Cross" from 65438 to 0988. In addition, Zhang William has also served as a member of the editorial board of foreign language textbooks for liberal arts and science majors of the State Education Commission, a director of China Foreign Literature Society, a vice president of China German Literature Research Association, an honorary director of translators association of china, a member of Chinese Writers Association, a director of Jiangsu Writers Association and an honorary president of Jiangsu Foreign Literature Society.
60 years of German translation teaching has achieved fruitful results.
Grammar-oriented German Teaching
William Zhang studied German directly, and the German teacher didn't speak grammar. At that time, he deeply felt the pain of "swallowing dates" and "knowing what it is but not knowing why". So later, when he was teaching German, he attached great importance to the clarity of grammar. He said: The direct method really can't be done in China, just get twice the result with half the effort. Learn one sentence and understand one sentence. When speaking grammar, learn one sentence and use it flexibly to turn it into ten sentences. This is especially true of German, whose grammar is very complicated. For example, a simple "good morning?" English, French and German all use only two words. But one of the German words is going to change its case. So once upon a time, a Swiss poet said: German is like a forest. There is no avenue, but there are countless paths. You will get lost in less than five minutes. Mark Twain, a humorist, even exaggerates that it takes only 30 hours to learn English, 30 days to learn French and 30 years to learn German. It just describes the complexity of its grammar.
But Zhang does not deny direct guidance. He often quotes a passage from Mencius: "With Dr. Chu here, if you want your son to know Qi language, you will make Qi people learn from others." Zhu Fu the Truman? Yue: Make the Qi people fu it. It is said that all Chu people attach importance to it, and all Chu people sharpen their knives. Although they yearn for it every day, they can't get it. Zhuang Yue has been introduced for several years, and it is hard to get it, although I beg every day. This passage means that to learn a foreign language, you must learn from foreigners. But at home, a foreigner teaches and many locals speak their mother tongue with him. This foreign language is hard to learn. If you go to a busy place outside for a few years. Then when he came back, he couldn't even speak his mother tongue. When William Zhang went to Berlin to give lectures, he quoted this passage, pointing out that Mencius, the earliest foreign language educator in China, who was born more than 300 BC, said that learning a foreign language should be taught by foreigners, and it is best to study abroad. At that time, the cultural exchange between China and the former GDR was once neglected because of criticism, so when Andy visited Germany at a low price, he was charged with promoting the exchange between teachers and students of the two countries and sending German experts to China.
Zhang William has taught in Nantah for decades, and has trained German workers from generation to generation, which can be said to be all over the world. Many German professors are his students or disciples. Mr. Zhang is a master of German. He edited three dictionaries: Usage of Common German Words, German Grammar and German Literature. At the age of 95, he also revised the German Self-study Reader published by 1983 and changed its name to New German Self-study. Dr. Kato, a German sinologist, once pointed out in a newspaper that the grammar part of the book is worth reading even for people in German-speaking countries.
Translation should not only choose topics, but also choose people.
Zhang is also a prolific German translator. While teaching and compiling teaching materials, he translated many German literary works of 18, 19 century and modern times, which are estimated to have more than 2 million words, of which Schiller's plays and the novels of Willie Braddell, a former anti-fascist worker writer in GDR, accounted for most. He said that his translation not only pays attention to the topic selection, but also pays attention to the selection of people. In addition to masterpieces, the topics should be enlightening. The choice of candidates requires the author to have noble moral qualities. Among the poets in18th century, he admired Schiller the most. 1995, when Sichuan International Studies University held an international seminar to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Schiller's birth, Mr. Zhang gave a German report "Schiller's People and His Understanding of China", which specifically put forward Schiller's character, sincere friendship, a sense of justice that hates evil, and diligent study and work spirit. He said that Schiller had two fierce enemies in his short forty years of life, one was Lord Eugen, who was very harsh on him, and the other was the disease that haunted him. But one day Schiller saw the Duke's funeral and said, "Well, I have a lot to thank him for?" He once said the same thing: "Illness is sometimes beneficial, and I am grateful for it." What an open-minded mind is this? The oppression of the Lord made Schiller's works more rebellious, and illness made Schiller cherish time and work harder. In addition to his two famous plays William Tell and Don Carlos, Mr. Zhang also translated Durando, a tragicomedy featuring a Chinese princess, which tells the story of oppressed women in China for thousands of years. The play was once put on the stage by Nanjing Yue Opera Troupe. I wanted to perform in Germany, but I didn't succeed, but the Frankfurt newspaper has published the stills. Willie Braddell is an honest and simple worker writer. Mr. Zhang translated most of his works, such as Father, Son and Grandson trilogy, New Chapter and Selected Novels by Brad. Two of them, Fifty Days and Silent Village, were also published in German and Chinese. Bradel arrived in China on 1955 and met Mr. Zhang in Nanjing. They hit it off as soon as they met, kept writing to each other and established a sincere friendship. Mr. Zhang once published the stylistic features and social significance of Willie Braddell's works in Journal of Nanjing University. Its German translation is on display at the Braddell Memorial Hall in Berlin. Bradel invited Mr. Zhang to visit Germany twice, but he was unable to make it for some reason. On his 60th birthday, William Zhang gave a set of hardcover trilogy. He wrote back and said, "This is my favorite and proudest birthday present." When Zhang William visited Germany in 1980s, Brad had died, and Zhang Lao visited his wife. She presented Mr. Zhang's posthumous work A New Chapter, its sequel and three episodes. Besides Schiller and Braddell, he also translated 100 famous German poems, Hogg's fairy tales, Grimm's fairy tales, the seventh cross and the first step of anti-fascist writer Anna Sigsy.
William Zhang once published the article "How to improve the quality of our literary translation", which attracted wide attention in China. He said: A translator must have a high sense of responsibility, be responsible for the country, the people, the author and the readers. He added: Translators should first keep an open mind, which is the best way to make up for their lack of professional skills. Second, we should think more, which is the most important means to avoid mistakes. Third, always stand in the reader's position and think more about whether the translation is smooth, whether the reader can understand it and whether there will be misunderstandings. He once had a "kite metaphor" for German-Chinese translation: the translation is like a kite, and the original is like a hand holding a kite. The kite is as far away from the hand as possible, but it can't be separated from the line. Lines are metaphors of the plot and ideological content of the original text. Because the distance between Chinese and German is too far, the translation must be far from the expression of the original text. He advocates "faithfulness, expressiveness and smoothness" in translation. He said that Yan Fu translated an argumentative essay in classical Chinese, so he asked for translation of "faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance". Language, how can it be elegant? He pointed out many mistranslations and misunderstandings in several German versions, such as Romance of the West Chamber, Peony Pavilion and Rebirth. He said: "This is not only my due responsibility, but also beneficial to sinology research and researchers abroad." He warned: "Don't think that you know these treasures in China's literary history just because you have read these translations." "To appreciate all their wonderful works, you must read their original texts before the equivalent versions come out." . He believes that German and Chinese do not belong to the Indo-European language family like German, English, German and French, so there can be so-called "equivalent translation". China literature, especially poetry, may not have an equivalent translation in a foreign language. He attached great importance to German teaching and advocated that besides listening, speaking, reading and writing, translation should be added. In order to further promote and develop German-Chinese translation, he donated 10000 yuan from the manuscript fee to the German major of Nantah as the "Translation Award" fund.
Pioneer of German Language and Literature Research
Zhang William's writings published in Journal of Nantah and other periodicals and newspapers can be mainly divided into three aspects: German literature, language grammar and German-Chinese translation. Literature is mostly written in combination with translation. For example, he once translated Heine's On Romanticism and included it in Heine's Selected Works, so he wrote Heine's realistic achievements about romanticism. Translate Schiller's plays and write about Schiller's realistic achievements William Tell and Schiller, his character and his understanding of China. About bradel, it has already been mentioned above. In the article "Style and Language Features of Henry Crist's Prose", he pointed out that it coincides with Lessing's laocoon, which is a unique view that has not been mentioned before. In addition, his essays on German Tone, The Third Situation of German Freedom and Its Chinese Version, Characteristics and Evolution Trend of Modern German, Usage from wenn-wuerdr to wuerde, etc. were also the earliest questions raised in China at that time. These words often inspire domestic graduate students as topics for writing papers.
1992, 90-year-old Zhang Lao published "Goethe's Continued Poems for Kaiyuan Forbidden City" to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Goethe's death/kloc-0. This is a story that has not been mentioned since Goethe was introduced into China, which provides vivid information for the history of Sino-German cultural exchanges.
Zhang William and his beloved wife Lei
The beautiful night view of Sang Yu.
Although William Zhang is 98 years old, he is very healthy, energetic and quick-thinking. Asked about his health care, he smiled and said, "I just try not to be greedy, not to smoke and drink, and to be content." Indeed, he is optimistic, honest, modest and indifferent to fame and fortune. For example, Zhang Lao has been an associate professor for a long time and has never asked for a raise or promotion. He is often a vegetarian and has compiled a book "The Benefits of Vegetarianism" for people. He likes traveling, taking his wife with him if possible, and has reached the top of Mount Tai three times. He once practiced Tai Ji Chuan. These are probably the factors that contribute to his health and longevity.
Mrs Zhang Lei Luo Chuan, who is two years younger than him, is also from Suzhou. His parents died in his early years and he was raised by his grandparents. Although she comes from a wealthy family with only primary education, she serves her aunt, educates her children and manages her family diligently. She made most of the clothes when the children were young. Her husband's clothes are worn out, and she will mend them. She is a veritable wife of Mr. Zhang. When Mr. Zhang moved west with Luda, she stayed in Suzhou to wait on her sick mother-in-law. Later, I took refuge in a family alone, and I'm going to try. After passing through Wujiang, Xing Wu, Moganshan and other places, I arrived in Shanghai and was reunited with other family and friends. A year later, she arrived in Zunyi and was reunited with Zhang Lao, a daughter and a friend via Hong Kong and Annan. So today, Mr. Zhang treats this virtuous wife with gratitude.
Zhang and Lei, who have gone through 78 years, won the title of "Model Golden Married Couple" in the activities of "Celebrating the International Day for the Elderly and Greeting the Year 2000" organized by more than 20 units including the Civil Affairs Department of Jiangsu Province. They have a son, four daughters, two grandchildren and a great-grandson who went to primary school. Four generations under one roof. They live in Suzhou-Zhejiang Building with their two daughters. Other children and grandchildren, except those who are abroad, often come to Nanjing by turns. Parents live a happy life in a happy family.