Year

2005

Text

Type

Web

Contributors (1)

Subjects

Chronology Entries (6)

#	Year	Text	Linked Data
1	1906-2000	John Milton und China. Huang Chia-yin : For many Chinese writers, Milton remained an important but indifferent literary figure in world literature. For those who attempted to introduce Milton to the Chinese reader, some degree of relevance had to be established so as to justify their interests in Milton and to create Milton's cultural significance in China. Milton's image as a model of revolutionary spirit and liberty reflected precisely such demand for relevance and cultural significance to the immediate realities in China. The Chinese depictions of Milton during the 1920s and 30s usually addressed three aspects of Milton's life : the personal, the literary, and the political. Although Milton's religious idiosyncrasy was mentioned and occasionally elaborated to elucidate his three major poems, the importance of christian ideology to Milton was frequently toned down or overlooked. His literary achievements and political involvement were more thoroughly explored. Insead of stressing only the literary aspect, Milton's political roles were given unprecedented prominence. The story of his involvement in politics often started with the interruption of his trip in Europe due to the political tumults from England. In terms of his political roles, Milton was lifted to the level of state leaders. As the secretary for foreign tongues, Milton fended for regicide, liberty, democracy. Because of his dedication to liberty and reformation, he was sometimes described as 'a revolutionary' or 'a great poet of revolution'. In political interpretations of Milton, liberty and nationalism converged on Milton's image as the model of revolutionary spirit and liberty. Liberty constitutes the foundation of happiness for all members of the society and forms the basis of an ideal government. Their liberal ideas are primarily derived from European liberalism. Since the late-19th century, debates on polity centered on the choices between a constitutional monarchy and a republican government. The Chinese writers of Milton in the 1920s and 30s followed the line of liberal discourse initiated by Yan Fu and expanded by the May-fourth generation. Sifting through their screen of liberal discourse, Milton's puritan ideology and the sociopolitical circumstances of 17th-century England werde overlooked. The elements such as Milton's advocacy of liberty, his political polemics, and his service in the government were preserved and woven into a new story of liberty, revolution, and nationalism converging on Milton the paragon poet. Milton was 'borrowed' from England and reconstructed as a model for the Chinese writers to emulate.	Person: Milton, John
2	1923	Tian, Han. Mi'erdun yu Zhongguo [ID D26345]. Tian Han schreibt : "When the storm overwhelms everything, strong weeds are desired. When the nation suffered civil unrest, loyal men are wanted. It is only natural that Wordsworth conjured Milton, because England was mired in corruption. Now allow me to recount concisely Milton's life and the relation of the man of his time. I hope that Milton's spirit, which has exerted gread remedial influences on England, might also cure today's China... to promote his idea of the three liberties, namely, religious liberty, domestic libery, and individual liberty. Domestic liberty also inclues the freedom of marriage, of education, and of expression. The three liberties are the foundation to ensure one's happiness as a member of the society. In the subsequent decade, apart from a few sonnets, Milton dedicated his pen solely to the struggle of political, religious liberty and justice. At the time, he gave up his ambition in writing a great national epic, since his aspiration for literary creativity has yielded to his concern for the troubled time !" Huang Chia-yin : In the beginning, Tian Han quoted Wordsworth's sonnet London (1802), in which the poet invoked the spirit of Milton to save England out of political corruption and chaos. He created an analogy between the political scene in Wordsworth's England and that in the early 20th-century China, stressing the severity of corruption and turmoil in both cases. Drawing on the precedence of Wordsworth's invocation, Tian suggested Milton's potential contribution as an inspiration to China for political and social reforms. Tian's declineation foregrounded Milton's participations in the political scene and left his literary career in the background. Although starting out with a literary ambition, hoping to compose a grand English heroic verse, Milton devoted himself to political writings when the time and the nation called for his contribution. In defense of 'liberty' against tyranny of the monarchy, he wrote abundantly in prose. In Tian's construction, Milton was an unselfish poet who places the nation and the people before himself. In peaceful time, he prepared himself to be a national poet and to create narrative poetry that reflected the spirit of the nation. In troubled time, he willingly sacrificed his personal goals and devoted himself to defend freedom and justice for the people. He considered liberty the foundation of human society, the basis of all happiness. Only when religious liberty, domestic liberty, and individual liberty werde proteced could one live happily and freely as a member of the society.	Person: Milton, John Person: Tian, Han Person: Wordsworth, William
3	1924	Liang, Zhinan. Mi'erdun er bai wu shi nian ji nian [ID D26340]. Liang beschreibt Milton als den grössten epischen Dichter, gleichbedeutend wie Homer und Dante.	Person: Liang, Zhinan Person: Milton, John
4	1930	Zhang, Changgong. Mi'erdun yu Du Fu [ID D26348]. Zhang schreibt : "Milton's basic principle was liberalism. His goal was to make liberalism applicable to religion, politics, education, and ideas. Through his characterization, Milton pursued libery for the people in all trades : peasants, scholars, teachers, jurors, collectors, etc. For Milton, liberty involved freedom of religious belief, freedom of education, rights of personal property, and freedom of ideas, imagination, literature etc. His sole purpose was for the nation to grow... His prospect was that the nation could act with honor and justice, worship God, walk in the path of truth, and become a great united group with concerted life... Du Fu's wish was to restore order ; Milton's mind was devoted to the advancement of liberty. Du Fu dedicated his loyalty to the Emperor ; Milton dedicated his ideal of liberty to the nation... Politics is an important part of human life. The 'inspiration' of a political poet is different from that of a non-poliitcal poet ; it is more solid and more realistic. Du Fu's role as a political poet was one of the reasons that he occupied a special position in poetry – for his special gift could be better developed. So was the case of Milton. Huang Chia-yin : Zhang is suggesting similarities and congeniality between Milton and Du Fu. Zhang pointed out the political undertones of Milton's three major works, although no direct descriptions of the actual events in England were found. Instead of qualifying Milton's ideas of liberty in the 17th-centgury political and religious struggles, Zhang transformed Milton into a liberal in the modern sense by the labeling of 'liberalism' upon him. So Milton advocated liberty at all fronts and fought for the rights and freedom of people from all social strata. Liberty was drawn out of Milton's puritan context and became a universal value that the poet would devote his life to for the well-being of his nation. Milton became the epitome of the ideal poet-statesman for many Chinese elites.	Person: Milton, John Person: Zhang, Changgong
5	1935	Gao, Changnan. Shi jen Mi'erdun [ID D26337]. Er schreibt : "Many people feel that Milton's works are loaded with tehology ; these puritan ideas are too remote for us."	Person: Gao, Changnan Person: Milton, John
6	1937	Jin, Donglei. Di qi zhang qing jiao tu shi dai : di er jie ge ming de da shi ren [ID D26338]. Jin schreibt : The English puritan movement was the reaction against [moral corruptions in the Renaissance], declaring the revival of virtues in two senses : 'regneration' and 'new life'. 'Regeneration' entered on the individual person. One should cultivate oneself to reach moral perfection, like saints or sages who acted freely and properly without faults. 'New life' concerns the society, the state and the people. Politics and religion should reach the status of total freedom and equality, so the world became an open place where people lived peacefully and happily. Personally the puritans followed the true meaning of religion, politically they demanded republican government, democracy, and freedom in everyday life and religion... The puritans demanded absolute freedom of belief, without assigning a national religion ; they called for the practice of democracy, the establishment of a republican government, and the change to the 'English Commonwealth'. The royalists, however, insisted on making the Presbyterian Church the national church, restoring the king to the throne, and establishing a constitutional monarchy. When Cromwell directed the government, the great writer John Milton was the secretary in chief. With these two great figures, a man of arms and a man of letters, who led the puritans and the people to implement the republican policies and to enforce new laws, the English political scene could now be stable. When the troops of English people revolted, Milton returned to his country, teaching in a private school and writing to support the people's forces. After the execution of Charles I, he bacame a member of the parliament and the chief secretary for Latin. He wrote numerous essays to advocate liberty in religion, education and politics ; he wrote numerous tracts to defend the new government, criticizing Charles I for violation of the constitution and inadequate measures with the parliament. Due to overuse of his eyes, he finally turned blind. Some friends and relatives advised him not to work so hard. He answered steadfastly, "I am willing to sacrifice my eyes for liberty". Huang Chia-yin : Jin's depiction of Milton was undoubtedly conditioned by his understanding of the political context in the 'puritan movement'. Under the heading 'social background', Jin characterized the 'putitan movement' as a reaction against moral corruption in the Renaissance. The movement was defined as a revival of virtues, liberty was the ultimate goal in these pursuits of perfection. The puritans sought personal freedom through moral perfection and pursued collective liberty through political reformation. In Jin's depiction, Milton became a spiritual leader who fought for the revolutionary cause with his pen and a vanguard of the republican movement, writing vehemently to justify their pursuit of liberty.	Person: Jin, Donglei Person: Milton, John

Sources (6)

#	Year	Bibliographical Data	Type / Abbreviation	Linked Data
1	1920	Tian, Han. Chi le zhi guo yi ho de hua. In : Shao nian shi jie ; Vol. 1, no 1 (Aug. 1920). [Artikel über John Milton]. [Darin enthalten Übersetzung kleiner Passagen aus Paradise lost]. 吃了智果以後的話	Publication / Milt33	Person: Milton, John Person: Tian, Han
2	1923	Tian, Han. Mi'erdun yu Zhongguo. In : Shao nian Zhongguo ; vol. 4, no 5 (Juli 1923). [John Milton und China]. 蜜爾敦與中國	Publication / mILT34	Person: Milton, John Person: Tian, Han
3	1924	Liang, Zhinan. Mi'erdun er bai wu shi nian ji nian. In : Wen xue xun kan ; no 153-154 (22., 29. Dez. 1924). [Zum 250. Geb. von John Milton ; Darin enthalten Übersetzung kleiner Passagen aus Paradise lost]. 密爾敦二百五十年紀念	Publication / Milt29	Person: Liang, Zhinan Person: Milton, John
4	1930	Zhang, Changgong. Mi'erdun yu Du Fu. In : Chen xing yue kan ; vol. 2 (1930). [John Milton und Du Fu]. 彌爾頓與杜甫	Publication / Milt37	Person: Du, Fu Person: Milton, John Person: Zhang, Changgong
5	1935	Gao, Changnan. Shi jen Mi'erdun. In : Su shu gu weun ji kann ; vol. 4 (1935). 詩人彌爾頓	Publication / Milt26
6	1937	Jin, Donglei. Di qi zhang qing jiao tu shi dai : di er jie ge ming de da shi ren. In : Ying guo wen xue shi gang. (Shanghai : Shang wu yin shu guan, 1937). [Der grosse Dichter der Revolution : John Milton]. 第七章清教徒時代 : 第二節革命的大詩人	Publication / Milt27	Person: Jin, Donglei Person: Milton, John