On Qian Zhongshu’s Conceptualization of Translation

• Main Authors: Chang, Chung-An, 張忠安
• Other Authors: Zhang, Longxi
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2019
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/347nee

博士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 翻譯研究所 === 107 === Qian Zhongshu (1910-1998) is arguably the most learned and critical-minded humanist scholar in contemporary China. His translation concept, huajing or the realm of transformation, has been highly influential in the Chinese discourse of translation and has made widely recognized and significant contribution to the advancement of the traditional Chinese translation theory. Critics, however, dispute the authenticity of Qian’s theorizing of translation, arguing that it is impressionistic, paradoxical, or even illusionary as well as a radical break with the Chinese translation tradition. This project aims to develop an effective response to these challenges and provides a comprehensive analysis of Qian’s translation concept. It argues that we cannot understand Qian’s idea of translation in isolation but examine it in relation to the social, cultural and historical context that his concept of translation is based on. In this sense, the present project tries to piece together Qian’s critical remarks and insights about translation that are scattered over his major works in both Chinese and English and provides a logically-jointed line of argument and analysis of Qian’s conceptualization of translation. Firstly, by exploring the history of Buddhist sutra translation, together with the examination of hermeneutics employed by Qian in his discussion of translation, we have a comprehensive understanding of the complexity of faithfulness or xin信that Qian upholds. Secondly, it is also argued in this project that Qian’s huajing concept is the idea that most Chinese translation theorists know but very few have studied carefully. Therefore, this project attempts to provide a philosophical account of huajing and deal with the issue of concealment and revelation, an important literary motif that Qian frequently refers to in the discussion of this seminal concept. Finally, this project gives a historical review of the social and cultural milieu of the late Qing period and tries to explain why Qian praises Lin Shu’s manipulation in the translations. It also proves that Qian and Lin are two like-minded intellectuals and they all share similar views of the use of classical Chinese as well as find affinities between Chinese and Western literature. It also explores Qian’s dual roles as both the translation and literary critics. By and large, this project clarifies the predominant misconception toward Qian’s translation concept and provides an in-depth analysis of his idea as well as its theoretical potential to the overall translation studies.