Internet-Zeitschrift für Kulturwissenschaften	17. Nr.	Februar 2010
Sektion 1.12.	Asien und deutsche sowie österreichische Kunst und Literatur um die Jahrhundertwende: Einflüsse und Bedeutung Sektionsleiter | Section Chairs: Chin SangBum (Comperative Study of the World Literature in Korea), Doo Haeng-Sook (Universität Sogang, Seoul) Dokumentation | Documentation | Documentation

The Asia Reception in Hermann Hesse' and Hesse Reception in Asia
Centering on Hesse's work "Siddhartha"

Cho Chang Hyun (Chung ang University of Korea) [BIO]

Email: choch7778@hanmail.net

Introduction

Among the works of H.Hesse, Siddhartha is the most oriental work. No other works of Hesse can be compared with Siddhartha. This work is harmonized and is breathing vividly with the pulse of Oriental spirit that Hesse experienced. Siddhartha is not the work explaining only the ideology and life of Buddha.

This work, as the result of indulgence and thinking of the Orient for 20 years(1), is a work of art within the oriental understanding of Hesse. Through this work, we can grasp the pilgrimage of his oriental thought.

In Siddhartha, many kinds of thoughts and philosophy of the Orient are mixed. Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism, Zen are mixed into the work, Siddhartha.

In the work, Siddhartha, these oriental thoughts are getting assembled. Therefore, we can experience a mood of the Orient as a whole.

We don't know exactly of how much Hesse himself accepted these thoughts in the work. It will be very dangerous if we have an interpretation of Hesse work by giving great weight to one element from the western element and the oriental element.

Therefore, we should not make an analysis of speculation with many thoughts of the Orient, when we interpret the Siddhartha.

The intention that I tried to investigate by fractionating many oriental thoughts in Siddhartha is that how Hesse accepted oriental thoughts in Siddhartha.

1. Hinduism Element

The most prominent oriental mood and ideology in Siddhartha is Hinduism philosophy and the religion of Hindu.

With this mood, characters like Siddhartha, Gotama, Govinda, Samana, Kamala, Kawaswami, Vasudeva and the religion of Hindu and the philosophy terms like Brahman, Atman, Upanishad, Krishna, Maha, Om, Sansara(2) would make the whole atmosphere of the work as Indian one.

Hesse tells us of how he had a contact with the literature and ideology of Hindu through these books 『Eine Bibliothek der Weltliteratur』, 『Tagebuch 1920/21』, 『über mein Verhältnis zum geistigen Indien und China』, There are also another books influencing to Hesse like 『Sechzig Upanishaden』of Deussen and 『Reden Buddhas』of Neumann.

The central ideology of Upanishad(3) is that it thinks the essence of the Universe as Brahman and thinks the essence of human being as Atman. With these two elements it tries to obtain the mystical unification through meditation in Zen or Joga.

To perceive the function and a true form of an endless universe by the human being that is short and small is impossible with the capability of human being. Therefore, Upanishad draws the universe into one human being to solve a mystery of human being. And, at the same time, Upanishad could solve a mystery of universe. Henceforth, the research on the essence of the universe would bring to a conclusion of the self. The universe can't become the focus of observation. Our human being would be the object of observation. In the Hindu philosophy, rather than the research of the outer world about the essence of the universe, it is given much more weight to the research of the inside about the essence of the human being.

We can explain the problem of unification of self with Brahman, the essence of the universe by a metaphor of a bow and arrow quoted from the Siddhartha. In other word, arrow is the self that is completed by the middle of a road that is practical demand to reach to a Brahman and if the arrow is shot toward the essence, the immortal one, Brahman, the target represented by metaphor, would be pierced.

To the first chapter of this work, Siddhartha offers a sacrifice beside his parents, studies a sacred shrine and leaves away to become a follower of a Buddhist monk by the practice of asceticism. This course was to follow to the three basic regulations that are holy in Brahman.(4)

In the future, the fact that Siddhartha uttered Om is that he still holds the personality of Brahman.

In Brahman, when the self has achieved the mysterious unification of the self with Brahman, Om will be uttered. The situation of Om is the one that the confrontation is ceased to exist.

2. Buddhism Element

Hesse came under the influence of Buddhism from Hinduism that is speculative and philosophical one. Hesse thought the Buddhism as the reform of Hinduism like the case that Protestantism has been reformed from the Catholic Church.(5) Such a transition of ideological change is becoming known to the work, Siddhartha.

The Buddhist character that exists, on the work, Siddhartha is also becoming known by Gotama and Govinda.

If we think that, until to the chapter of Samara, this book is belonging to the circle of influence of Hindu philosophy and Hindu scriptures, then from the chapter of Gotama this book is belonging to the circle of Buddhism. Pessimism and Buddhist emancipation are also in accord with the ideology of Hind philosophy. But a Buddhist sermon of Gotama was not to clarify the truth of the world to a seeker after truth, but to have a salvation from the agony of the life that is on the suffering.

But to the work, Siddhartha, the aim of main character was not on the overcoming of situation from which he suffers. To investigate the different two ways of Govinda and Siddhartha is very interesting from the standpoint of the Buddhism.

Govinda is on the position of Hinayana Buddhism, not recognizing the actual world, the self and the feelings of human being.

On the other hand, Siddhartha follows altruism, and regards the experience as the important one and doesn't think Nirvana as the cessation of suffering. In earlier days he plunged into the world of experience, loved the self, the world and the things serving the neighbor.

He never asked for help and didn't damage to other person. He gave his clothing to the poor. To the relationship with Kamala he made a responsibility on the result of love and made her know Buddha.

Receiving the help from Kawaswami he repaid him for the help by engaging in trade.

He was never incompetent, unmoral person. In the meaning of Mahayana Buddhism, the fact that Siddhartha becomes fixed as a boatman has a significant meaning, Mahayana divides the situation of self-consciousness of human being into individual consciousness and social consciousness and at altruistic social consciousness they take aim.

In the work, Siddhartha, the fact that our main character stays as the boatman means that he is on the altruistic, social consciousness and is on the thought of the savior of the world that is central ideology of Mahayana.

The sense of Mission of Siddhartha is also the one of Hesse himself. Hesse, as the boatman, and as an intermediary linking the east and the west, realized the ideal and the actual world. Hesse also realized his mission and duty. He himself didn't argue on the Mahayana and Hinayana.

Judging from the ideology of Hesse, he possessed not the Buddhist view of Hinayana, but the one of Mahayana.

But this work, Siddhartha doesn't have any character of Buddhism admiration or the Buddhist classics.

Hesse brought Buddha into relief as an example of human being and also by invoking the ideology of Buddhism, Hesse wanted to state his ideal frankly. Siddhartha has been changed to the shape of the main character that is needed to the West. In other words, the main character was the person that is altruistic, the savior of the world and Mahayana.

3. The Ideology of the way

Hesse uses the way as 'Sinn', 'Tao', 'Nirwana', 'Erwachtsein', 'Weg' in German Language. He regards the way as the last third stage of the completion of human being. Especially, Hesse understood the notion of the way as wisdom.(6) The person who appeared as the most important character for the ideology of the way in the work, Siddhartha, was Vasudeva.

We can find the looks of idleness, random and ignorance from him. He didn't learn anything through books and didn't have any masters.

The thing that he learned and regarded as master was river.

Therefore, he was very ludicrous. He looked like a stupid fellow with a smile on his face. The way is now appearing to Siddhartha.

He realized the essence of the way by experience that the way can't say, feel, convey, and teach. Siddhartha also thinks the teaching, the words and something deliberate to the person who proceeds to the way of self-completion for himself. Because of this, he could think that he didn't reach to the way. One of the reasons why Govinda didn't reach to the way was that he was too deliberate. With some target and intention, Govinda tried to reach to that goal.

The stage of the way is the one of unselfishness and is the one to act on the pure reason of nature by loving the destiny.

The work, Siddhartha has been written with the two intentions. The first is the salvation of the west through the east.

Hesse thought that the east sent a messenger to save the west.

The messenger is, in some way, Hesse himself. But he also believed that for the salvation of the west by the east the assimilation of the east within the Europe spirit must be preceded. It is impossible to have a salvation of the west only by the east spirit, Hesse claimed.

The indulgence of the east by Hesse is not an ambiguous one or not a romantic one. Hesse told in his book 『Besuch aus Indien』. "I must give up to observing the salvation of Europe to the east. Also I must give up discovering the Europe within my heart. I must make the real Europe and east as my own possession within my heart and spirit."

The second is the attempt of an ideal combination of the west and east in the work, Siddhartha. Such an ideal combination of the west and east is now well expressed in his book 『Besuch aus Indien』

To the end part of this book Hesse has a conversation with an Indian. The following is the contents of conversation between Hesse and Indian.

Hesse had a good friendship with one Indian and then had to separate. When they separated, Hesse wanted to give him one of his pictures. He selected one picture that one bridge is set upon the river and one big tree is planted near the bridge. After selecting the picture, he said, "I will select this picture. Because you know and love the tree like me. Also this bridge is the symbol meaning the bridge between the west and the east newly built to me.(7)"

Hesse, after completing the work, Siddhartha, states frankly. "I want that this book would become an example of thought transcending the time and would be ultra nationalistic binding us together to the readers of Asia.(8)"

Judging from this meaning, the work, Siddhartha is now belonging to the special character of world literature.

4 .The Development of Hesse Reception in Korea

As is generally known, Jauβ Published Literaturgeschichte als Provokation der Literaturwissenschaft(9) at the end of the 1960s to offer a new method of study for literature. He refused the intrinsic interpretation of literature that had played a leading part in Germany until the sixties. He emphasized the importance of historical elements that all the literature possesses. Therefore, according to the theory of Jauβ, it becomes the main object of literary art to deal with various elements taking place in the process of accepting all the texts as much as analyzing the text itself. The theory of literature reception that was initially presented by Jauβ has begun to be universal after 70s. Such theory has now become a principle in German literary art.(10)

In accordance with today's tendency of German literary art, my research paper will make the reception of Hesse in Korea its main object. The research will not be aimed at a description of the history of literary reception, but at the reception of Hesse's works in Korea.

With such intentions, this paper will be characterized by the following elements and description. Firstly, the realm of the research object will cover a wide range. The sphere of reception in Hesse literature that we will observe consists of four elements.

Secondly, the translation has been clarified into five-steps on the basis of the Korean situation of the times. The facts that are related to the translated works were presented in each step. The facts were put together to make clear the meanings and the times of all the translated works.

Thirdly, on the elements of a research paper, oriental view, mysticism, inner world and self-realization, social and political tendency, psychological analysis, structure analysis were classified and also investigated.

Fourthly, a criticism of a newspaper was of small number. We dealt with it collectively, not classifying it into many parts. A Newspaper criticism was presented chronologically. Every criticism includes the meaning to be appraised.

Fifthly, teaching material included Hesse's works in the high school and university materials. German writers who became well known to Koreans were Goethe and Rilke. Hesse was a more belated writer to Korean people than Goethe and Rilke.

However, with the lapse of time, at least after 1960 Hesse came to the forefront and gained popularity among Koreans. There are reasons why Hesse's books are read with pleasure in Korea. The primary reason lies in the fact that the pursuit of Hesse's literature is similar to the traditionally cultural spirit of China and Korea. The spiritual culture history of Korea is based upon the formation of humanization by the thought of seeking after truth in Lao-tzu. Through all the Hesse's literature such humanity as seeking after truth we could meet.

Hesse not only read the books by Lao-tzu, but also made such human beings seeking after truth is the protagonists in his main works. Demian, Der Steppenwolf, Narziβ und Goldmund have western elements and also protagonists in these Hesse's works. Sinclair, Harry Haller and Goldmund were also westerners. However the thing that Hesse was pursuing was the formation of a human being having harmony like a Taoist seeking after truth.

Siddhartha and Das Glasperlenspiel had oriental materials and also the heroes were Indians and Chinese Siddhartha had a Buddhist background Glasperlenspiel's ultimate aim was to reach a stage of seeking after truth, even though it had the background of future in the year of 2004. The Orientals that Hesse literature possesses becomes the decisive factor for Hesse reception in Korea.

5. Hesse Reception in Korea

Hermann Hesse is one of the most famous foreign writers in Korea. According to one study, 80% of Korean students know his name, and more than 50%of Korean students have read his novels that have been translated into Korean. His most popular work in Korea is Demian. We find this work everywhere: in the form of books and cassettes, in cafes and even as trademarks in dressmakers’ shops. Korean readers know German writers better than Japanese or Chinese readers. Besides a great many of commercial Hesse title there are also many translated works of Goethe, Heine, Böll, Grass and other German writers in all bookstores. The relationship of Hesse with Koreans is very important. Hesse had known Miruk Lee, the writer of the Book the Yalu Flows by hearsay. Another Korean Chunsop Kim visited Hesse during 1953 in Montagnola. He has reported about his visit in the magazine Sin Chon Chi. Hesse has not expressed his opinion about our country; only some critical views about the Korean War exist in his briefs.

There are many reasons for the remarkable spreading of German literature in Korea. Since the translation activity in the 20s has begun on the one hand Korean readers have, in general, interest in translation of foreign words. On the other hand, love for German music, philosophy and literature is obvious, although they think by the word Germany of Hitler or of the film performed in the country, in which American soldiers launched an attack on arrogant Nazi soldiers. In addition, almost all Korean high-school students select the German language and literature was established 1947 at Seoul National University. Since then, sixty six German departments at 107 universities have been established steadily. At 16 German departments there is Magister and Doktorcourse. Every year, approximately 2700 students select German as their major study.

The people who obtained a doctorate agree could give a lecture at an every university in past days; today it is impossible for the people with a doctors degree to lecture in the Korean universities without showing some ability in ones area of study.

Except for two German literature academic societies, there are Goethe-, Büchner-, and Kafka-, Hesse academic society.

From the year 1926 when Hesse was first introduced in Korea on National Liberation Day, I defined the next 20 years as the first stage for Hess’s reception. The reception of Hesse in Korea in this period is insignificant quantitatively. Hesse works that have been translated into Korean for 20 years are no more than four volumes. In addition, among the complete translations of Hesse are two volumes of poems and a fairy tales were translated. Therefore, we can conclude that Hesse was not introduced as a German writer. He was known to as a poet.

Hesse's fairy tale Der Dichter was introduced in the monthly magazine Inmunpyongron. That is a very interesting fact.

The prose Der Dichter that is not known nearly too all the people of today was translated into Korea in those days.

The translation is very poor in quality. Among four translators one translator majored in German literature. His translation also has many incorrect translations.

Another translation also was a great many translation errors. Between the other two translated works, one is a translation from a translation and the other one is translated spontaneously. The translated four volumes were published to each magazine. Two were religious magazines and the other two were literary magazines. These literature magazines were also restricted to a certain number of readers. Hesse's literature reception in those days was missing something in translated works not only in quantify, but also in number of readers.

The first stage of Hess’s literature reception in Korea occurs in the era that is exceptionally unique in Korea history. In this period Korea was under the rule of Japanese imperialism. Such a politically special situation exerted a profound influence upon the Hess reception in Korea. Because of the cultural policy of Japanese imperialism, Korean intellects and Korean readers who had an interest in foreign literature could know both the Korean and Japanese language. They wanted to read Japanese books rather than Korean books. Japan, in those days, was on a high level in the translation of foreign literature.

Almost all the masterpieces were translated and sold to the public in Japan. Therefore, Korean intellects were satisfied with the Japanese version. They had no necessity to read a Korean version. What is more important is that under the rule of Japanese imperialism Korean publications were strictly controlled or restricted as part of an oppressive measure. Even though a patriotic intellect tried to issue the Korean versions, it was very difficult to take such opportunities, on account of the oppression of Japanese imperialism. Such a politically special situation makes us know that the reception in the first stage of Hesse literature was insignificant. The first reason is that the buyer of Korean versions was a minority. Having no readers, it was not necessary to make a translation and publication. The second reason is that because of the oppression of Japanese imperialism, many translators and issuers were prohibited to do their own work. Under the rule of Japanese imperialism it was impossible to cultivate experts for Korean culture. Under these circumstances the qualitative level of the translation into Korean of foreign literature was not high. Hang Seok Seo who translated Hesse's poems, studied German literature through the Japanese language.

Therefore, he must have had a command of vocabulary in Japanese language rather than the Korean language. In the first stage of Hesse reception all the Hesse's main works were issued out.

But in Hesse's main works nothing was translated into Korean in the first stage of Hesse reception in Korea. The decisive reason of this unhappy reception of Hesse lies in the unique historic situation. For eight years after National Liberation Day in 1945 to the Korean War in 1953, our Korean society was in a state of disorder. The unending quarrel between the right and the left and the Korean War that brought the tragedy of war and, at the same time, destroyed the whole nation. Korea was paralyzed to the foundation of growth in Korean society. Korea was a world of terror and anxiety. Under these social circumstances, no active cultural movement could exist. At that time, only two separate volumes of Hesse was translated for Korean readers.

Even though only two volumes were published, it has the special significance for Hesse's historical reception in Korea. Firstly, Siddhartha was translated by Chunsop Kim. It is worth mentioning that Hesse's works, for the first time in Korea, were published in the form of a separate book. Secondly, Hesse's poem Weiβen Wolken was published in a monthly magazine Gaebyuk.(11) This fact is a very important one. Our Korea literature magazine translated and then introduced, for the first time, the poem in a complete translation.

It was not until this period that Hesse literature was accepted for literary purpose. We can say that this made an epoch in the Hesse reception in Korea.

The third stage of Hesse reception in Korea is from 1954 to 1960. The characteristic of this stage for Hesse reception is that the number of translated works, above all, extremely increased. Hesse's main works of full-length novels have almost all been translated into Korean and also medium-length stories of Hesse have been translated and one book of selected poems in translation was published. A fable, a memorandum and a treatise have also been translated each as a separate book. Accordingly, we can say that a "Hesse boom" in the third stage of Hesse reception has arisen in the Korea. Every translator has told, through the preface, that the reason why every translator selected Hesse's works is that Hesse's works have concentrated on Orientals and Seeker after truth.

This includes Hesse's full-length novels after Demian. The second reason is that Hesse's works have a romantic mood. This includes early works of Hesse. Generally speaking, both the romantic and the seeker after truth is one that, when the human being has a disagreement with historic actuality, the human being tries to seek after truth. The main reason why a Hesse boom arose in Korea in the third stage of Hesse reception will be apparent, if we are familiarizing our Koran readers with the historic actuality of Korea. This period is seven years after the end of the Korean war. After the war, there were only ruins before the people. As time passed, Korea was restored to its original state. But restoration work was performed negatively by the corruption of civil workers and social injustice. This was the Korean situation under the period of third stage in Hesse reception. Under these circumstances the majority of our people, especially the intellectuals, had a great conflict with society. Almost all of them had disagreements with their own society and tried to evade the actual society and to escape into an inner world. Hesse literature in those days was in harmony with the concept of pursuing the inner actuality by Korean readers and intellectuals. His literature, <the second reality>, in other words the world of seeking after truth and the romantic world, was the one giving intrinsic sufficiency to the majority of Korean intellectuals who had a disaccorded relations with <the first reality> in those days. I think that this fact is the element that brought about the Hesse boom in Korea. The translation of Hesse literature made remarkable advancement not only in its quality, but also in quantity.

Compared to the first and second stage, translation developed greatly in a view of conveying the accurate and proper meaning.

During translation some translator referred to the Japanese version. The Japanese version served as a good reference. Such circumstances mean that Korean Hesse-translation was still incomplete. Because of the Korean situation in those days, this was an unavoidable fact. There were few who could translate the Germen literature without any difficulty. In this stage, it is very important to note that the same Hesse's work was translated many times by different translators. Hesse's four full-length stories were translated two times by various translators of every work.

Hesse's medium-length stories were published six times by each translation of other translators. Translating the same works repeatedly by another translator at six times is not a good factor for the righteous acceptance of Hesse's literature. In the sixties the absorption of Hesse's literature by Korean people stabilized itself. Judged by appearance, Korea was socially in order. But Korea was under the rule of a military regime. On the streets and in the campus there broke out some disturbances. With the economic miracle, the number of departments for the study of a foreign language at the universities sharply increased, because foreign trade companies were urgently in need of finding the experts who could speak foreign languages without any difficulty. Most translators for Hesse's works were those who majored in German literature in Universities: Bok Nok Kwack, Chung Jin Kim, Chong Suk Pak, and Hye Suk Yang.

They described the detailed interpretation of Hesse in the preface or epilogue of their own Korean version. Peter Camenzind, Knulp and Demian still remained as Hesse's works having a liking for Korean readers; interest in Narziβ und Goldmund and also in Glasperlenspiel increased.

In the seventies Korea also experienced a climax of Hesse reception. With the exception of Morgenlandfahrt, all the main works of Hesse were translated, into Korea. In the Yearbook 1974 for the Korean publishers association, Demian was selected among the bestseller books, especially that translated by Ki Song Ku. In those days these were fifteen different Demian-translations.

The publishers believed they would earn a great deal of money if they published Hesse's works. The quality of the translation was not an important factor for them. That they were prepared to follow the taste of readers, a collection of Hesse's works shows from this time. It contains, instead of the complete translation of Hesse's works, fragments from different Hesse's works and consists of three parts; poems, prose, and letters. In many cases the title of the translated works was not in accordance with the original title; the title was made to be tempting and promising and awakening the interest of the readers. Chang Hwal Kim(12) gave his translation about fairy stories of Hesse titled with Die Einsamkeit als mitgeborenes Schicksal; Yong Whan Kim summarized the early prose, the late prose and the contemplation under the title of Hesse's Lebensanschaungen. This shows also the Hesse title in the established best seller lists by Korean Publishing Associations since 1945 that was named under ten works each time: Demian(1974), lhr, die Ihr Trost im Leiden träumt (1982), Knulp ｢(1986 and 1987)｣, Das Glasperlenspiel (1986), and Dass Wir leben (1986).

One special feature we must explain here. Many translators have brought out their translations through another publishing company again.

Here is the list of Hesse-Works translated into Korean that was published through my own doctoral dissertation.

For example, Yongtaek Song published his translation works through the publishing company Bakmunsorim 1983 in the publishing company Samchundang, in 1984 through the publishing company Mandang Mungo, in 1985 through the Inmun publishing company and in 1986 through the Geulbang-bookshop. Hesse reception in Korea has two aspects, one is that Hesse was so popular as to be incomparable to other German writers and Korean readers were eager to read Hesse's works. On the other hand, Hesse's works became a target for making money by the Korea publishing companies. At any rate, Korea Hesse reception has been very active. Secondary literature for Hesse, the Hesse-biography written by Bernhard Zeller, was also translated by Kwangja Park. Inung Lee published an academic composition on Hesse in one of his books.

These books have been translated by Wonsok Hwang, Changbok Yi and Juhyun Kim. Until 1977 only a few essays and four graduate works at home and one doctoral thesis abroad was written. That has sharply changed since the 100th birthday of Hesse. Since then, besides for graduate papers about Hesse, four doctoral theses in the inland about Herman Hesse were written.

Kwangja Park described the self-realization of the main characters as three steps for human beings self-accomplishment appearing in the works of Demian, Siddhartha, Steppenwolf and Narziβ und Goldmund.

That conflict can be seen in the Romantischen Liedern and Peter Camenzind.

Soon-kil Hong tried to understand Siddhartha synthetically through different perspectives like structure and style, symbol, pole and unification if the east-west elements, and self-realization.(13)

Sangbum Jin analyzed Chinese ideology that influenced the works of Hermann Hesse with his representative ones, Glasperlenspiel and Demian.

Seowung Jeong analyzed the struggle for individualization in the case of main characters Peter Camenzind, Emil Sinclair, Siddhartha, Harry Haller, Goldmund and Josef Knecht. A woman researcher, Younsoon Kim-Park received a doctorate at the Ludwig-Maximilians University München in 1977. She studied Hesse's works in relation to the reception in eastern Asian countries not only of the philosophy, but also to the religious elements of eastern Asia. Chin Hwang analyzed Hesse's Literature through the perspectives of eastern Asian Philosophy and religion in his doctoral thesis at Bern University in Switzerland.

The writers of graduate works occupied themselves with the nature view of Hesse Kyongryang Chong: Nature View of H. Hesse in his works, peter Camenzind and Siddhartha 1982, with mother problems (Pyongchun Choe, 1981) and with incarnation problems Seo Woong Jeong: H. Hesse's Incarnation in the work, Der Steppenwotf 1981. Sangbum Jin: The research on the Oriental unification, 1980. Moreover, three doctoral theses were and approximately 65 essays and compositions written in Germany on Hesse.

The Hesse research in Korea had occupied itself with different themes, with the questioning of self-realization, the image of human being, the relationship with eastern Asian philosophy and religion, with the problem of redemption, psychoanalysis, critic of the times, with style and structure, fairy tales, symbol, music and mysticism. The Korean newspapers and magazines concentrated much on Hesse at the time he became the Nobel prize winner. In Donga-Ilbo, the greatest nation-wide daily newspaper, such news was mentioned in many letters on 16th, November in 1946. Shortly thereafter, on December 1 a subscription by Byongrim Yang about the Nobel Prize winner for literature Hermann Hesse and in addition to that, the three poems Meiner Mutter, Julikinder and Herbsttag followed. Until that time, there were only poorly translated works that were about Siddhartha the fairly tale, Herr Dichter, and the two poems, Im Nebel and Irgendwo. In Korea, the news about the awarding of Nobel prize to Hesse made an impression upon the Korean readers and encouraged them his works to read. When Hesse died, he became the object of nationwide sympathy. In those days, almost all of his main works were translated. The Hesse boom had taken place in death and informed of his life and works. The poem sorrowing over his death war resulted: Frühlingstag was made. Korea poet, Pyonghwa Cho wrote the poem and published in it the daily newspaper Kyonghyang.

Hesse had, again, pleasant memories for Korean newspaper readers His 100th birthday caused another Hesse boom in Korea: In celebration, in literature magazines, in Korean associations for German teachers. Also in other magazines and newspapers, a subscription was made about him. The magazine for general literature, Munhak Sasang published a special edition for Hermann Hesse. This publication made it clear that interest of Korean readers in Hesse had increased. The Hesse Seminare and other organizations relating to Hesse were actively taking place. The Korean organization of majoring German literature, altogether with the Goethe-Institut in Seoul on the 2nd September, 1977, opened a Hermann- Hesse-Seminar in Onyang. Innung Lee spoke on modern civilization and the literary world of Hesse, Kiyong Yi on East Asia's way of thinking and Hermann Hesse literary world. Korean Germanics took part in an academic seminar for Hesse in Germany. Inung Lee made a Hermann Hesse symposium for the 100th birthday of Hesse on April 13. 1977 in the Marbach as a special reporter for the publishing company, Munhak Sasang gave a speech on the Hermann Hesse reception in Korea. Soon-Kil Hong participated in the first International Hermann Hesse academic seminar in Calw and spoke about Siddhartha as East-West dialogue.

A real problem of Hesse research in Korea lies in the fact that Hesse is reviewed very one sided in his relations with eastern Asian thoughts and eastern Asian culture.

The interest in Hesse in Korea is completely characterized in a different way than in the U.S.A where the Hesse-Boom was caused by the Vietnam's-war, the hippies, and other youth movements. Hesse worship is independent of Korean acceptance. The reason for the wide influence of Hesse literature in Korea lies, definitely, in the fact that his statement is flavored with the feeling and taste of eastern Asia. Every preface and epilogue of all the translated works of Hesse, every lecture about Hesse emphasizes this. The statements of Hesse often coincide with the mentality of Korean people. Every Korean regards him as an older brother, a student of Konfutse or Laotse, and as a Taoists who knows the mysticism of the soul of eastern Asians better than any other western writer.

As for Hesse reception in Korea, 90s has a prominent characteristic if we watch carefully. Firstly, compared to 80s, the number of translated worker for Demian was thirty in 80s, Demian was issued to fifteen.

We know that Korean readers have a peculiar preference to Demian. Secondly, Narziβ und Goldmund that was so frequently translated in 60s and that was sharply decreased in number of translation in 70s and 80s was published as many as 19 translation in 90s. Thirdly, poems, prose and essays of Hesse have become more interested in 90s. Especially, <Selected poem> has been published eight translations. <An anthology>that that was translated for the selected Hesse essay and prose has been published 10 translations. <Selected essay> has been issued as many as 11 translations. It means that our reception for Hesse is becoming developed up more and more. Cartoons adapting Hesse novel have been published. The number of cartoons issued is four. This cartoon has another significant meaning Hesse was introduced to the Korean children.

The translator for Hesse’s works is composed mainly of the ones who are not specialized in German literature. They are graduate students who are studying German literature or not a major field of study. As for the quality of translation, there is little erroneous translation. But the problem of retranslation through English version made by the ones who are not specialized in German literature is continued until now. That's a serious problem.

The negative factor in 90s for Hesse reception is that there are immoral translations that make a copy of other translators' works or publish the translated work with a little change of other translators' works. That should be eradicated for the upright introduction of Hesse.

Anmerkungen:

1 Eduard Korrodi: Siddhartha. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung v, 26. 11. 1922.

2 Vgl. Martin Pfeifer: Hermann Hesse. Kommentar zu sämtlichen Werken. Müchen 1980. S. 167 ff; George Wallis Field: Hermann Hesse. Kommentar zu sämtlichen Werken. S. 96 ff.

3 Vgl. Servepalli Radhakrishnan: Indien Philosophy. 2 Bde. London 1977. S. 137 ff; Heinrich Zimmer: Philosophie und Religion Indiens. Frankfurt/M. 1973. S. 300 ff.

4 Alfred Hillebrandt: Upanishaden. S. 98: “Das heilige Gesetz hat drei Stämme; den ersten bliden Opfer, Vedastudium und Freigebigkeit; Kasteiung bildet den zweiten; der Schüler, der in die heilige Lehre tritt und im Hause des Lehrers wohnt, den dritten.”

5 Hermann Hesse: Tagebuch 1920/1921. S. 126.

6 Hesses Brief an Romain Rolland v. 6. 11. 1921. In: GB I. S. 480: “…, das Wort Tao bedeutet für mich den Inbegriff jeder Weisheit.”

7 Hermann Hesse: Busuch aus Indien. S. 299.

8 Hesses Brief an Romain Rolland v. 25. 8. 1922. In: HH-RR Br. S. 43.

9 Hans Robert Jauss. Literaturgeschichte als Provokation der Literaturwissenschaft. In: Rezeptionsästhetik, hrsg. von Rainer Warning 1975, p.126~162.

10 Vgl. Jürgen Schütte: Einführung in die Literaturinterpretation, Stuttgart 1985, p.1 ff.

11 The representative press magazine ‘Gaebyuk’ has been restored to Jan 1st, 1946. But because of the difficult situation in those days, this magazine has been ceased to the year of 1949.

12 Chang Hwal Kim: The Loneliness as Gifted Fate altogether, Minyesa, 1978.

13 Soon Kil Hong: Research on Siddhartha, Sogang Univ., 1984.

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1.12. Asien und deutsche sowie österreichische Kunst und Literatur um die Jahrhundertwende: Einflüsse und Bedeutung

Sektionsgruppen | Section Groups | Groupes de sections

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Inhalt | Table of Contents | Contenu  17 Nr.

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For quotation purposes:
Cho Chang Hyun: The Asia Reception in Hermann Hesse' and Hesse Reception in Asia Centering on Hesse's work "Siddhartha" - In: TRANS. Internet-Zeitschrift für Kulturwissenschaften. No. 17/2008. WWW: http://www.inst.at/trans/17Nr/1-12/1-12_cho17.htm

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