Between Translations and Monographs: An Exploratory Analysis of Secondary Literature on Max Weber-Reception in the Chinese Context

Max Weber-reception in the Chinese context relied on not only the translations of Weber's works, but also the selection of secondary literature translated into Chinese. The latter reflected the collective mentality and intellectual framework of the recipient community. The author examines the secondary materials in terms of genre and period. During the crucial 1980s to 1990s period, there were three genres (monographs, book-chapters, and biographical work) scattered in a common space of secondary literature, in which we identify at least two different dynamics: a divergent trend in monographs and a convergent trend in book-chapters. The reception of Weber included a dual image which could barely be explained in terms of external factors, such as social, economic, political changes.