Title: On Translation of the May Fourth Period and the Emergence of Eco-cosmopolitanism

Abstract: During the May Fourth Period, Chinese intellectuals were greatly influenced by western cosmopolitanism. As they attempted to translate western literary works into Chinese, many translators intentionally incorporated ecological concerns into their cosmopolitan outlook, displaying a broader view beyond “nation” and “country”. This ecological concern within the discourse of “cosmopolitanism”, hidden behind their nationalistic sentiments, is reflected in their translations, paratexts and literary writings. This represents the emergence of an eco-cosmopolitanism, which predated the proposal of such a concept by western scholars in the 21st century. Furthermore, this eco-cosmopolitanism serves as an inspiration for addressing today’s global ecological challenges.

Keywords: Eco-cosmopolitanism, translation of the May Fourth Period, Lu Xun, Guo Moruo, Hu Yuzhi

Authors: Jiao Li, School of Foreign Languages, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Haiyan Xie, Associate Professor, School of Foreign Languages, Central China Normal University,Wuhan, Hubei, China.