The cover of "One Hundred Years, Many People, Many Things" flashes the imprint of time. On January 27, 2023, at nightfall, Mr. Yang Yi, a legend in the translation industry, passed away at the age of 103. The recent publication of "One Hundred Years, Many People, Many Things: An Oral Autobiography of Yang Yi" seems to be a profound review of Mr. Yang Yi's rich life. More than 60 yellowed old ** are presented in the book, witnessing the ups and downs of nearly a hundred years, which is a real and flesh-and-blood picture of life.
Mr. Yang Yi's personality is full of publicity and self-confidence in **. She said: "People have encountered too many people and things in their lives, and at my age, I have experienced warlord melee, the War of Resistance Against Japan, the War of Liberation, and the birth of New China. This illustrious translator knows the taste of life well.
Yang Yi was born in 1919, and his main translations include "Wuthering Heights", "The Sun That Never Sets", "Russian Character", "Great Moments", etc., as well as the children's poem "Do Your Own Thing". Her translation of Wuthering Heights became one of the most popular Chinese translations, and she was the originator of the Chinese title. Yang Yi's husband is the poet Zhao Ruifeng, and he is also the first person to translate the famous book "Red and Black".
This oral autobiography chronicles Mr. Yang Yi's life over a period of ten years. At that time, she was already in her nineties, and later crossed the 100-year-old mark. In this oral account, the authenticity and accuracy of many details have been confirmed by the memories of others, showing Mr. Yang Yi's amazing memory. She has nothing to hide from her life experiences, which makes the book even deeper. And in this plain autobiography, her talk about the achievements of translation is only an embellishment, but more of a real feeling about life.
Mr. Yang Yi is taboo about the term "aristocracy", despite her prominent family background, including a father who was the governor of the Bank of China. Her childhood was relatively uneventful, however, her birth mother and the troubles caused by her father's early death allowed her to learn to be independent early. She cultivated this spirit of independence since she was a child, studying at Tianjin Chinese and Western Girls' School in her early years, and later transferred to Southwest Associated University, got married and had children, and her life gradually surpassed her origin.
In the process of correspondence with Ba Jin, Yang Yi became acquainted with Ba Jin's second brother Li Yaolin. Yang Yi was deeply influenced by Ba Jin, and Li Yaolin became an important figure in her life. Yang Yi clearly remembers that Ba Jin frankly pointed out after reading her translation: "The translation is a bit sloppy. She mentioned many times that Ba Jin's words and care showed support and love for her.
The centenarian gentleman makes no secret of his analysis of his emotional world. In her oral autobiography, she does not mention her translation achievements, focusing more on one word - "fun". This is her unique perception of life in the depths of her heart, and it is also a true portrayal of her positive face to life.