“L’introduzione del Naturalismo in Cina, il ruolo di Mao Dun e il dibattito sulla stampa”

This essay presents the introduction of Naturalism in China and its first mentions since the end of Nineteenth century. It examines the main terms of the debate on Naturalism (1920-21), after Mao Dun proposed his translation project of Naturalist and Realist works (1920), and the reflections and notes by some writers-translators on this issue. I argue that Mao Dun's translation proposal constitutes the first model of planned literary translation to carry out specific political-cultural projects. I also argue that Naturalism underwent a process of localization in China to serve as a tool for making the transition toward a modern Chinese literature