Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s novel Werther was partially translated into Chinese in 1902 or 1903 and was completely translated in 1922 by Kuo Mo-jo. Since that time Werther became the most frequently reprinted German novel in translation in China. The popular reception of Werther correlates closely to the socio-intellectual climate and ideological changes of China at the time. The May Fourth era represents a time when young intellectuals rebelled against Confucianism and feudalism and upheld the importance of democracy, science, individualism, freedom, vitality and nature. In this regard, young Chinese found echoes of their own aspirations, sentiments, frustrations, uncertainties and problems in young Werther. The epistolary novel as a literary genre is unknown to Chinese literature prior to the introduction of Werther. The young literati freed from past limitations looked for a mode of presentation that was simple and easy to master yet flexible enough to allow free expression; the epistolary novel fit the bill and spawned a spate of Chinese works. This paper reviews Lu Yin’s short story “Ho-jen ti pei-ai,’ Kuo Mo-jo’s “Ke-erh-mer-lo Ku-niang” and Chang I-P’ing’s Ch’ing-shu i shu comparing and contrasting them with Geothe’s: Werther in various aspects. Certainly Werther had a profound influence upon young writers and readers in China. While there is similarity to the German model, it is not mere imitation rather the efforts of young Chinese writers show they consciously assimilated the form and content of a foreign work to suit their own socio-cultural needs.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, history of translation, Werther, Lu Yin, May Fourth Movement, Kuo Mo-jo, epistolary novel, Chang I-p’ing, translation, 20th century Chinese Prose