Explored the concept of "world literature" and its production mechanism, emphasizing the crucial role of countries and international organizations in the construction of world literature. Taking the translation project of UNESCO's "Treasure of World Literature" as an example, this paper analyzes the complex tensions and paradoxes it faces in promoting the construction of the world literary system and the inheritance of human spiritual heritage, such as international political and economic motivations, ideological struggles, etc. Revealed the power struggles between developed and developing countries, Western and non Western, universal values and cultural diversity, as well as the impact of Cold War ideology on project implementation. Intended to reflect on the production difficulties of contemporary world literature and construct a more balanced and inclusive world literature map.

The selection and translation production of world literary classics under the leadership of UNESCO

Discussed the role and challenges of UNESCO in promoting the selection and translation production of world literary classics. Since its establishment in 1945, UNESCO has been committed to promoting human knowledge and intellectual progress through international cooperation, in order to achieve world peace and human well-being. The organization regards literary translation as a key force in strengthening cultural dialogue between different countries, eliminating biases, and building a peaceful world. The translation project of "World Literature Treasury" is one of the most representative projects of UNESCO in the cultural field, aiming to spread literature from different countries and enhance mutual understanding among different nations and peoples through translation. The core of the project is the selection, translation, and publication of world literary classics, facing the problem of how to define the criteria for "representativeness" and "world literature" evaluation. UNESCO has established a review committee and established three major criteria for "world literature": ideological, artistic, and influential, reflecting UNESCO's emphasis on the intrinsic value of literature while continuing the Enlightenment era's "cosmopolitanism" ideals, as well as its attitude towards the compatibility and preservation of achievements from different civilizations. At the same time, UNESCO has established a "Selection Committee" and established five selection principles, fully reflecting respect for the diversity of literary traditions. However, the implementation of this world literature translation plan is not simply a literary aesthetic activity, but a cultural construction process full of power struggles, closely linked to post-war political and economic structures and cultural capital distribution, facing many paradoxes and multiple tensions.

The Worldist Ideals and Paradoxes of 'The Treasure trove of World Literature'

The formation of world literary classics is a dynamic process influenced by power struggles, involving not only the literary value of works, but also closely related to the ideological and cultural production mechanisms in the social context. Bourdieu emphasized the social nature of the literary field, while as an international organization, UNESCO's operation in promoting world literature is constrained by international political, economic, and ideological factors. The Treasury of World Literature faces difficulties in balancing universal values and cultural diversity, with a majority of Western classic works reflecting Eurocentrism. Revolutionary realism works in socialist countries are relatively overlooked, and non Western literature is often seen as the 'other', with its value mainly reflected in its' exoticism '. Casanova believed that world literature was an unequal 'world literary republic', in which European and American countries held the power of literary discourse.