Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) is one of the most celebrated German writers in the history of literature. His works have been translated and studied in China for more than a hundred years. Many of his well-known classics, such as Faust and The Sorrows of Young Werther, have been translated, but few of the newly translated versions are available and there currently is not a Chinese version of the complete works of Goethe.
 

On March 7, a specialist team at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), supported by the National Social Science Fund, started a five-year project to translate the complete works of Goethe into Chinese.

Scholars have chosen the Goethe: Säemtliche Werke in 40 Bäenden published by Deutscher Klassiker Verlag as the blueprint for translation and commentaries. Famed for its extensive and authoritative notes, the German compilation provides a framework that will enable the comprehensive and systematic study of Goethe in China.

“Goethe wrote more than 15,000 letters, but only one-tenth of them were translated into Chinese,” said Wei Maoping, the project’s director and also a professor of German at SISU, adding that the project will focus on the poetry, plays and novels that have never been translated before.

“The end result will be a huge database of Goethe’s work,” said Wei.
 

Experts from a variety of disciplines will work together on the project, and they aim to produce 40 to 50 books containing 30 million Chinese characters.

The translation will follow the customs and practices of Chinese language while absorbing the latest achievement in the study of Goethe, noted Jiang Feng, Party secretary of SISU.

“The complete works of Goethe is intended to present Chinese readers a full and real image of the prominent German writer,” Jiang said. 

Li Yu is a reporter from Chinese Social Sciences Today.