Translation in a Republican-era Chinese journal gave women new frameworks for identity that merged Christian teaching with expanding social roles, MDPI reported.
The Woman’s Messenger published 394 translated works between 1912 and 1951 that female translators used to negotiate legitimizing, resistant, and project identities.
The analysis, published in an MDPI journal, applies sociologist Manuel Castells’ 2010 typology to the periodical’s pages. As translation scholar Tim Cronin wrote in 2006, “translation must be at the center of any attempt to think about questions of identity in human society.”
Female translators such as Liang Leyue reshaped biblical figures for Chinese readers, portraying Mary as a counterpart to Guanyin and Eve as a figure Chinese women could recognize in their own oppression. The journal’s “Biographies” section included 80 translated accounts of Western women among 266 pieces, showcasing professionals from nurses to diplomats.
394 Works Across Four Decades
1912-1930 Saw 305 Translations
According to Ning 2022, the journal published 305 translated works from 1912 to 1930. These covered morality, education, religion, literature, and social issues, providing opportunities to reinterpret understandings of womanhood.
1931-1951 Added 89 During War
Publication dropped to 89 works from 1931 to 1951 due to wartime difficulties, Ning 2022 reported. The decline reflected the challenges of maintaining the journal during conflict.
1946 Editorial on Women and Society
In 1946, the journal’s “Resumption Statement” (Fukan Ci) articulated the interconnected relationship between women, family, and society, according to Bo 1946. The editorial can’t be assumed to represent the journal’s position throughout its history, but it shows a later institutional discourse.
Three Identities in Translation
Castells (2010) identified legitimizing identity from dominant institutions, resistant identity from stigmatized actors, and project identity seeking structural transformation. In The Woman’s Messenger, these coexisted: translations reproduced Christian moral ideals, questioned gender hierarchies, and articulated alternative womanhood tied to education.
As Sherry Simon noted in 1996, feminist translation is “not simply representational but rather performative, providing women with access to the world of letters and involving women into the participation of the social movements.”
Wartime Gaps Remain Unstudied
The sharp drop from 305 to 89 works suggests certain voices disappeared during the 1931-1951 period. Researchers haven’t yet determined how the wartime decline affected the construction of female identity in the journal’s pages.
Questions About the Journal
How many translated works did The Woman’s Messenger publish?
The journal published 305 translated works from 1912 to 1930 and 89 from 1931 to 1951, according to Ning 2022. That totals 394 works over four decades.
Who was Liang Leyue?
Liang Leyue was a female translator who rewrote biblical women for Chinese audiences. She portrayed Mary as a counterpart to Guanyin and described Eve in ways meant to resonate with Chinese women’s experiences.
What were the three identity types?
Castells (2010) proposed legitimizing identity from dominant institutions, resistant identity from devalued actors, and project identity seeking social transformation. The study found all three in the journal’s translations.