Study Of The Publication Of The Popular Classic Robinson Cruosoe In China(1902-1949)

Robinson Crusoe is one of the classic works of foreign literature that is a household name in China.Since its publication in China in 1902,its editions and translations have become more and more diverse,and its readership has expanded.Finally,it has become required reading for Chinese students and one of the recommended readings for the national language curriculum standards.Taking the three elements of Roger Chartier's text,material form and reading as the warp and the influence of social and environmental factors in the Robert Darnton communication circuit as the weft,this paper examines the Chinese publication of the popular classic Robinson Crusoe Tale.By studying the publication history of Robinson Crusoe in China from 1902 to 1949,this paper tries to explore how Robinson Crusoe,which was already well known overseas,was published in China and how the publisher expanded its influence step by step through various forms of adaptation,and then depicts the role of the publisher in the process of shaping the popular classic.This paper analyzes the publication history of the popular classic Robinson Crusoe in China from1902 to 1949 in seven chapters through documentary research,textual analysis,and statistical analysis.Firstly,this paper analyzes the origin of the publication of Robinson Crusoe,the social and ideological background,as well as editions of its publication in China.Robinson Crusoe was first published in London,England,in 1719,and by the beginning of the 20 th century,it had already gained considerable influence in the world.In early20 th century,Chinese society was facing great political,cultural,and social upheavals.During this period,National Language Movement,the Vernacular Movement and the literary revolution,the influx of Western bookbinding methods and the emergence of a new punctuation system,and the rise of social thought from the urgency of saving the country to the flourishing of children's education,drove the generation of a large number of new editions of Robinson Crusoe.Then,the paper analyzes the publication of single-volume and adapted versions of Robinson Crusoe separately.The paper introduces the publication time,translator and publishing institution of the single-volume version,and analyzes the specific background,editorial thinking and propaganda policy of the single-volume version when it was published,taking the book of the Commercial Press "Shuobu Series" as an example.It also analyzes the rewriting ideas of different editions of textbook adaptations and the serialization ideas of different editions of periodical adaptations.Finally,the paper analyzes the situation of readers' reading of Robinson Crusoe during this period.From 1902 to 1949,the main readership of the book gradually expanded and changed from elite readers to student readers.When elite readers read the book,they were concerned with the content of nationality and religion,the spirit of the times,and the enterprising spirit of creating life;when student readers read the book,they were more concerned with the connection between Robinson's desert island and Taohuayuan,Robinson's heroic image and adventurous spirit,and the connection between the book and daily life.This paper argues that the main ways in which publishers have helped to shape the popular classic include: by textual adaptation,helping Robinson Crusoe to integrate with the changing zeitgeist of the early to mid-20 th century;by transforming its form and developing new ways of using Robinson's story to help Robinson Crusoe serve different goals such as revolution,recreation,and education;and by constantly releasing new editions,helping the Robinson Crusoe 's primary audience has expanded from the elite to the student population,and the adaptation and publication of new editions has provided space for different readers to read and interpret.