翻译美学视角下《长恨歌》英译的意境美传递

Transfer of Artistic Conception Beauty in the English Translation of Song of Eternal Woe from the Perspective of Translation Aesthetics

Abstract

Classic Chinese poetry is regarded as the essence of Chinese traditional culture. Artistic conception is the soul of classic Chinese poetry, of which artistic conception beauty is the lasting appeal and unique spirit. Therefore, the charm of classic Chinese poetry translation lies in the representation of artistic conception and the transfer of artistic conception beauty. Based on Liu Miqing’s translation aesthetic theories and Xu Yuanchong’s “Three Beauties” principles for poetic translation, this paper makes an analysis of transfer of artistic conception beauty of Song of Eternal Woe from the perspective of translation aesthetics. By comparing and analyzing three translations of the poem, this paper aims to summarize feasible and practical strategies for classic Chinese poetry translation. 

Structurally, this paper is divided into four parts. The first part is theoretical framework of Liu Miqing’s translation aesthetics, which introduces translation aesthetics from the perspective of language aesthetic appreciation and aesthetic appreciation beyond language. Exemplified with the three translations of the poem, the second part investigates main influencing factors of classic Chinese poetry translation, including aesthetic object and aesthetic subject. The third part reveals the ways of transfer of artistic conception beauty in the poem, including perfect integration of meanings, images and poetic scenes, interaction between aesthetic subject and aesthetic object, and aesthetic psychology of national cultures. Based on the previous analyses of this paper, the last part summarizes four strategies for classic Chinese poetry translation, including word selection and comparison, analogy of image beauty and poetic wording, experiencing of aesthetic subject and distancing with aesthetic object. 

In the end, this paper comes to a conclusion that although the representation of artistic conception and transfer of artistic conception beauty in classic Chinese poetry translation may be restricted by the differences between source language and target language, translators are able to maximize the possibility by making efforts to transfer beauty in form, beauty in sound and beauty in sense. Besides, it is also conducive to the transfer of artistic conception beauty in classic Chinese poetry by integrating translators’ own feelings with the poet’s experiences to arouse empathy between aesthetic subject and aesthetic object. 

Key words: translation aesthetics; classic Chinese poetry translation; artistic conception beauty; aesthetic activity