Literary Translation: Theory and Practice – Translation Dialogue

Author: Xu Jun et al
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-04-01
Features: The tradition of Chinese literature translation can be traced back to the Six Dynasties period. It was only in the last century that the systematic introduction of foreign literature into China became more widespread. Over this century, generations of translators have contributed numerous outstanding literary translations, playing a significant role in absorbing the nourishment of foreign literature, promoting the development of Chinese literature, and enhancing the exchange of literature and culture between China and the world. As Mr. Ji Xianlin once said, "It is precisely because Chinese culture has been able to maintain its vitality that the utility of translation is immense." Through long-term literary translation activities, many translators have accumulated rich experience and conducted multifaceted reflections on the art of translation, offering insightful perspectives on translation activities, the special nature of literary translation, and the relationship between literature and culture. In the past two decades, the Chinese translation community has increasingly emphasized the organization and reflection on these valuable experiences and unique insights. Some translators and researchers and educators in translation have also engaged in theoretical discussions on literary translation, yielding important achievements such as Wang Zuoliang's On the Translation of Poetry, Xu Yuanchong's The Art of Translation, Zhang Jin's Principles of Literary Translation, and Shen Dan's Narrative Stylistics and the Translation of Fiction. These works have laid a solid foundation for the study of literary translation.
Building on this foundation, if we can learn from the outstanding works of our predecessors, classify, organize, summarize, analyze, and study the valuable translation experiences they left behind, and leverage the latest theoretical advancements in literary studies, linguistics, and cultural research, we can conduct diachronic and synchronic analyses and comparisons of some fundamental, shared issues in literary translation. By elevating our understanding to a rational level and making reasonable, scientific descriptions and interpretations, we can gain significant practical guidance in recognizing the essence of literary translation, grasping and addressing the various relationships encountered in translation, and adopting means that can be learned from. This approach will enable us to conduct pragmatic and realistic research on the fundamental issues of translation, providing a reliable basis for the systematic and scientific study of Chinese literary translation theory and holding substantial theoretical value.