The translation and dissemination of Chinese literature into Portuguese: Characteristics and trends

Abstract

This study provides an overview of the translation and the dissemination of Chinese literature into Portuguese from 1979, the year China initiated its Reform and Opening Up policy, to the present, focusing on the characteristics and trends during this period. It serves as an introduction to a project on the interaction between Chinese-Portuguese translation and cultural exchange between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. Data on translated Chinese literary works in Portuguese were collected from various online platforms, including Goodreads, Amazon, Skoob, Wook, and the Worldcat bibliographic database. Employing the perspective of Translation Communication (Yin, Yu & Deng, 2022), an interdisciplinary theoretical framework in Translation Studies, the study conducts quantitative and qualitative analyses based on the collected data, presenting the different stages of development in the translation and the dissemination of Chinese literature into Portuguese, along with its main characteristics and future trends in intercultural exchanges. The results indicate the translation of various types of Chinese literature into Portuguese, encompassing classical works such as the Tao Te Ching, contemporary Chinese novels, and literary works by renowned Chinese writers abroad, among others. However, despite an increased number of Chinese literary works from mainland China being directly translated into Portuguese over the past decade, the translation of Chinese literature still faces marginalization in the Portuguese-speaking world. Concurrently, indirect translation maintains a relatively stronger presence.