RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and JournalismRUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism2312-92202312-9247Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University)2693310.22363/2312-9220-2021-26-2-177-187Research ArticleChinese Gretchen in Russian Literature: on the Genesis and Attribution of M. Shkapskaya’s Poetry Book Tsa-Tsa-TsaLitvinovaOlga N.<p>postgraduate student, Department of Modern Russian Literature</p>olitvinova22@list.ruMaxim Gorky Institute of Literature and Creative Writing0207202126217718702072021Copyright © 2021, Litvinova O.N.2021<p style="text-align: justify;">This article examines in detail Maria Shkapskayas poetry book Tsa-Tsa- Tsa (1923) and its handwritten genesis. It explains the role and significance of ancient Chinese poetry for this literary piece of work. The problem is to attribute the texts that make up the book and find out their translated or stylized basis. The general thesis is that all the poetic texts of the book are translations: the names of Tao-Yuan-Ming, Du Fu, and Bo-Juyi indicated by Shkapskaya in the manuscripts are reported. One of the texts in the book is attributed as the Sixth Poem from the Shi ju gu shi ( Nineteen Ancient Poems ). The removal of the names of Chinese authors (not only in the book published in 1923 but also in the manuscript of 1921) and the alignment of the thematic word series silk, crane, thousand, spring that organize the book into a single text indicate a tendency to blur the border of the own-alien text (even though the book was treated by the author as translation from the Chinese, in autobiographies and correspondence). This trend leads to the appearance of a central artistic image of the book (it is a feature of M. Shkapskayas poetic books). It is the image of a lonely, longing woman. The mention of the spinning wheel connects this image with the popular (especially in Western European literature) image of Gretchen. This way the poetry book Tsa-Tsa-Tsa goes beyond the narrowly translated work and reveals some features of chronologically later literary trends (such as postmodernism and metapoesis).</p>M. ShkapskayaTsa-Tsa-Tsatranslations from ChineseDu FuBo-JuyiTao Yuan-MingМ. ШкапскаяЦа-ца-цапереводы с китайскогоДу ФуБо-ЦзюйиТао Юань-Мин[Shkapskaya, M. (2000). The evening hour: Poems (M. Sinelnikov, Comp. and an Introductory Article). Saint Petersburg, Limbus Press. (In Russ.)][Litvinova, O.N. (2020). The artistic image as the basis of a multi-stage composition of a poetry book (on the example of the books of Maria Shkapskaya). The Sixth All-Russian Competition of Young Scientists in the Field of Arts and Culture: A Collection of Works of Laureates (pp. 294–334). Moscow, Russian Heritage Institute. (In Russ.)][Gacheva A. (2018). The philosopher in dialogue with the poet: Letters of A.K. Gorsky to M.M. Shkapskaya. Tekstologicheskij Vremennik (book 3, pp. 261–293). Moscow. (In Russ.)][V.L. (1923). Maria Shkapskaya. Tsa-Tsa-Tsa. Berlin, Manfred Publ., 1923: Review. Novaja Russkaja Kniga, (5/6), 23. (In Russ.)][Russian State Archive of Literature and Art. Fund 2182. Inventory 1. Storage unit 123. (In Russ.)][Du, Fu. (1908). In the level with the water. In K.D. Balmont, Hymns, Songs and Plans of the Ancients. Saint Petersburg, Pantheon Publ.][Chinese classical poetry in translations by L. Eidlin. (1984). Moscow, Khudozhestvennaya literatura Publ. (In Russ.)][Kobzev, A.I. (2017). On Russian translations of Du Fu and Bo-Ju-i. Society and the State in China, 1(47), 558–577. (In Russ.)][Pereleshin, V. (1970). Poems on the fan: An anthology of Chinese classical poetry. Frankfurt am Main, Posev Verlag. (In Russ.)][Shuckiy, Y.K. (2000). Distant echo: An anthology of Chinese poetry (VII–IX centuries). Saint Petersburg, Peterburgskoe vostokovedenie Publ. (In Russ.)][Eidlin, L. (Comp. and an Introductory Article). (1987). The poetry of Tang dynasty. VII–X centuries. Moscow, Khudozhestvennaya literatura Publ. (In Russ.)][Department of Manuscripts of A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Science. Fund 509. Inventory 3. Storage unit 4. (In Russ.)]