关键词: 《铁世界》, 翻译, 科学技术, 人种主义, 近代野蛮

Abstract: This essay explores the first translations of Jules Verne's The 500 Millions of the Begum (Les Cinq Cents Millions de la Bégum, 1879), in which the East Asian intellectuals formulated their visions of modern technology. Verne's novel produced a chain of translations, when Morita Shiken translated W. H. G. Kingston's English translation into Japanese as Iron World in 1887, which was translated by Bao Tianxiao into Chinese in 1903, which, inturn, was translated by Yi Haejo into Korean in 1908. In light of their introductions, Morita focused on the novelty of the material; Bao emphasized his responsibilities in the context of the “Saving China” mission. Yi left only the main texts without including any introductions. Unlike their points made in the introductions, they all expressed anxiety towards science and technology. In their translations of Verne's science fiction, Bao and Yi warned readers of the advent of modern barbarism, and, more precisely, of racism. Ultimately, their translations called for moral and spiritual considerations when developing and applying science and technology as the turn of the century neared.

Key words: Iron World, translation, science and technology, racism, modern barbarism