Chen Wangdao () (1891–1977) was a Chinese scholar and educator. He is recognized as the first and only person to translate

the Communist Manifesto ''The Communist Manifesto'' (), originally the ''Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (), is a political pamphlet written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, commissioned by the Communist League and originally published in London in 1848. The ...

into Chinese completely so far. He also served as president of

Fudan University Fudan University (FDU) is a public university, national public university in Yangpu, Shanghai, Yangpu, Shanghai, China. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Education (China), Ministry of Education and is co-funded with the Shanghai Municipal ...

from 1949 to 1977. Chen was born Mingrong () in 1891, while Wangdao is his courtesy name. Beginning in 1915, he studied at

Waseda University Waseda University (Japanese: ), abbreviated as or , is a private university, private research university in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as the Tōkyō Professional School by Ōkuma Shigenobu, the fifth Prime Minister of Japan, prime ministe ...

Toyo University is a private university with the main Hakusan Station (Tokyo), Hakusan campus in Bunkyō, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The university operates multiple satellite campuses in the Kanto region, including. Asaka, Saitama, Asaka, Kawagoe, Saitama, Kawagoe, ...

and

Chuo University , commonly referred to as or , is a private research university in Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan. The university finds its roots in a school called Igirisu Hōritsu Gakkō (English Law School), which was founded in 1885, and became a university in 1 ...

successively. He eventually obtained his Bachelor of Laws at Chuo University. The experience in Japan brought him into contact with

communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...

ideas. Chen returned to China as the

May Fourth Movement The May Fourth Movement was a Chinese cultural and anti-imperialist political movement which grew out of student protests in Beijing on May 4, 1919. Students gathered in front of Tiananmen to protest the Chinese government's weak response ...

began. He found a job teaching Chinese literature at then Chekiang Provincial No.1 Normal School. Meantime, Chen spread the New Culture with colleagues whose passions coincided with his own. The authority decided to dismiss them for that method. Despite students' agitation against the order, he was obliged to return to his hometown in 1920. Thereafter, he assented to the request of

Dai Jitao Dai Jitao or Tai Chi-t'ao (; January 6, 1891 – February 21, 1949) was a Chinese journalist, an early Kuomintang member, and the first head of the Examination Yuan of the Republic of China. He is often referred to as Dai Chuanxian () or by hi ...

to translate the ''

Communist Manifesto ''The Communist Manifesto'' (), originally the ''Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (), is a political pamphlet written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, commissioned by the Communist League and originally published in London in 1848. The t ...

''. Dai provided a translation in Japanese. Besides,

Li Dazhao Li Dazhao or Li Ta-chao (October 29, 1889 – April 28, 1927) was a Chinese intellectual and revolutionary who participated in the New Culture Movement in the early years of the Republic of China, established in 1912. He co-founded the Chinese Co ...

also provided its English version. Later, he set up a group on the communist campaign in Shanghai, together with

Chen Duxiu Chen Duxiu ( zh, t=陳獨秀, p=Chén Dúxiù, w=Ch'en Tu-hsiu; 9 October 1879 – 27 May 1942) was a Chinese revolutionary, writer, educator, and political philosopher who co-founded the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1921, serving as its fi ...

, Li Hanjun et al. He became a member of the CPC, after it was established in 1921. He was at odds with Chen Duxiu soon. Thus, he left the party in 1922. He rejoined the party in 1957.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chen, Wangdao Translators to Chinese 1891 births 1977 deaths Chuo University alumni Academic staff of Fudan University Presidents of Fudan University Writers from Jinhua Educators from Jinhua Academic staff of Shanghai University (ROC) Academic staff of Anhui University Academic staff of Guangxi University 20th-century Chinese translators Burials in Shanghai People from Yiwu Waseda University alumni