From Mississippi to Yangtze: The Canonization Adventures of Tom Sawyer in China.

The article examines the complex process of canonization of Mark Twain’s *The Adventures of Tom Sawyer* in China from its first translation in 1932 to the present, highlighting how the novel has been variously reinterpreted to align with shifting political, cultural, and educational agendas. Initially embraced as a revolutionary and anti-feudal youth text during the early 20th century, it was later ideologically reframed during the Cold War as a critique of capitalism and imperialism, often conflated with *Huckleberry Finn* to serve socialist propaganda. Following China’s Reform and Opening-Up, the novel transitioned into a civic model emphasizing humanistic education and moral development, culminating in its official inclusion in the national curriculum by 2003. Since 2012, digital media adaptations have localized and reimagined Tom Sawyer—such as through a kung fu-themed televised performance—reflecting contemporary cultural nationalism and media convergence, while preserving core themes of youthful freedom, moral courage, and imaginative vitality. This evolving reception illustrates how *Tom Sawyer* functions as a dynamic cultural signifier in China, shaped by institutional, ideological, and technological forces, rather than as a fixed literary artifact.