French Literature Reviews - 2026

Y. Yang, Baudelaire et la Révolution culturelle chinoise
Comparative and World Literature

Yuping Yang, Baudelaire et la Révolution culturelle chinoise

Paris: Presses de la Sorbonne nouvelle, coll. "Page ouverte", 2013.

EAN 9782878545906.

336 p.

Price: EUR 21.50

Publisher's overview:
Dai Sijie's novel and film, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, gave us a glimpse into the meaning and impact that French literature held in China during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) for intellectuals sent to the countryside. But are we aware of the prominent place Baudelaire held in Chinese poetry during that same era? The Flowers of Evil—condemned by official authorities and banned by censors—were translated, read, admired, and imitated by young clandestine authors. Much like in France under the Second Empire, art rediscovered its function as a rebellion against official ideology. Baudelaire served as an essential catalyst for underground poetry, a movement now fully rehabilitated and recognized as a major source of contemporary Chinese literature.
Rooted in primary sources and accessible to any lover of literature, this study uncovers an unknown facet of Chinese letters while providing scholars with an exceptional research tool.

The Cultural Revolution remains a defining period in modern Chinese history, characterized by intense political upheaval and the suppression of diverse intellectual currents. During this decade, the state enforced strict ideological control over cultural production, often leading to the marginalization or prohibition of Western literary influences. Within this restrictive environment, clandestine literary circles emerged, seeking alternative modes of expression. The circulation of translated works like The Flowers of Evil highlights the persistence of aesthetic engagement despite official censorship, illustrating how foreign texts were adapted by local writers.

Baudelaire’s work occupies a complex position in the history of global literary reception, frequently associated with the emergence of modernism and the subversion of traditional moral structures. This study examines the place of Baudelaire in Chinese poetry during the Cultural Revolution, noting that his work was translated and read by clandestine authors. It compares this reception to the poet's experience in Second Empire France, where his work also faced official condemnation. Readers interested in the history of literary translation and cross-cultural influence may find this analysis relevant.