From Criticism to Recognition: Diachronic Transformations of the Perception of Evgeny Yevtushenko's Poetry in China

The present article is dedicated to a comprehensive study of the perception, interpretation, and translation of the poetry of Yevgeny Yevtushenko in China over more than sixty years. The focus is on the transformation of Chinese scholars' attitudes toward the personality and creative legacy of the poet depending on changes in the socio-political situation, ideological settings of various historical stages, and in the context of the intensification of cultural dialogue between China and Russia. The article traces the evolution of literary evaluation—from a period of official criticism and ideological rejection to the recognition of his poetic talent, artistic mastery, and civic stance. It examines the role of translations and personal meetings with the poet in forming a deeper and more multifaceted perception of his work in China. A comprehensive interdisciplinary approach is employed, combining historical-literary analysis, comparative literature studies, translation studies, and cultural methods. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the comprehensive coverage of the diachronic transformation of the perception of Yevgeny Yevtushenko in the Chinese cultural and academic space. It demonstrates that with changes in the socio-political conditions in China, approaches to interpreting his poetry also evolved: from negative criticism to positive reassessment. The growing interest in various aspects of his work is emphasized, including not only political poetry but also lyrical, philosophical, and autobiographical works. The analysis confirms the sustained interest of Chinese scholars in Yevtushenko as a poet with a universal value system, a humanistic worldview, and a unique poetic style. The conclusions highlight that his work not only gained recognition but also played a significant role in the development of Chinese literature studies, expanding its methodological horizons and thematic diversity.

Sino-Russian cultural exchanges, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, poetry, translation, reception, literary concepts, evaluation, social and political context, comprehensive interdisciplinary approach, Chinese academia