“中国孤儿”故事在十八世纪欧洲的传播——以《赵氏孤儿》的改编为核心

The Spread of the Story of the“Chinese Orphan”in 18th Century Europe:With the Adaptations of The Orphan of Zhao as the Core

《赵氏孤儿》是中国古代著名悲剧作品。1735年,耶稣会士杜赫德编撰的《中华帝国全志》出版,收录了《赵氏孤儿》法译本,随后在欧洲引发了关注。1736年,耶稣会率先上演了以“救孤”为主题的戏剧《召公》。此后,在法国、英国、奥地利、德国至少出现了六部以“中国孤儿”故事为基础的改编作品,这些作品体现出各不相同的改编思路。伏尔泰改编的“五幕孔子道德剧”《中国孤儿》融入了启蒙精神,宣扬了儒家的仁爱思想;意大利剧作家梅塔斯塔西奥的《中国英雄》褒扬了博爱与忠诚;英格兰作家哈切特和爱尔兰剧作家墨菲的《中国孤儿》突出了对暴政及侵略军的反抗;德国作家维兰德的《金镜》将“中国孤儿”故事与“重返自然”的教育思想融为一体;弗里德里希的《中国人或命运的公正》则宣扬了善恶有报、天命难违的观念。这些欧洲作品从不同角度吸收了“中国孤儿”故事中的优秀元素,也推动了中国文化和价值观念在西方的传播。

The Orphan of Zhao is a famous tragedy from ancient China.In 1735,the French translation of The Orphan of Zhao was published in The General History of China compiled by Jean-Baptiste du Halde.Subsequently,the story of the“Chinese Orphan”attracted attention in Europe during the Age of Enlightenment.In 1736,the Jesuits performed the play Chaocungus in Germany on the theme“saving of orphan”.Since then,at least six dramas and novels based on the story of the“Chinese orphan”have been published in France,Britain,Austria and Germany,each reflecting a different approach to adaptation.Voltaire’s“Morality Play in Five Acts”Chinese Orphans incorporates the spirit of the Enlightenment and promotes Confucianism’s idea;Italian playwright Metastasio’s Chinese Heroes celebrates fraternity and loyalty;English writer Hachette’s Chinese Orphan and Irish playwright Murphy’s play with the same name highlight resistance to tyranny and aggressors;German writer Wieland’s The Golden Mirror combines the“Chinese Orphan”story with the educational idea of“returning to nature”;Friedrich’s The Chinese or the Justice of Fate proclaims that good will be rewarded and evil punished and that God’s will cannot be disobeyed.These European works absorb the best elements of the“Chinese orphan”story from different perspectives and promote the spread of Chinese culture and values in the West.