The Chinese response to Samuel Beckett (1906–89)

Abstract

Beckett's reception in mainland China was delayed until 1965 when Waiting for Godot was first translated into Chinese. The overall critical response to the play was largely negative due to the leftist ideological influence dominating the studies of foreign literatures at the time. Only a few of Beckett's other plays have been translated besides Waiting for Godot. The reception of Beckett's fiction started in the 1980s, much later than the reception of his drama. Due to the absence of Chinese translations of his fiction, studies of it were, and still are, limited in terms of quantity. A five-volume translation of Beckett's work from French was published in 2006 in celebration of the author's one hundredth anniversary. But Beckett's English fiction still remains untranslated to this day, which has created many constraints for Beckett studies in China. However, Beckett studies since the 1990s has shown promise, with some scholars beginning to look for new approaches to his dramatic and fictional works. Overall, while Beckett studies in China tends to rely heavily on Beckett material published elsewhere, thus lacking fresh critical perspective, it has managed to survive the earlier dark times and has entered a new phase of growth since the new millennium.