A Proposed Golden-Mean Framework For Translating Poetry Illustrated With The Translation Of Wang Wei

Poetry translation studies is an interdisciplinary cross-cultural subject involving poetics, translation studies, aesthetics, and cultural research. The interdisciplinary cross-cultural characteristic of poetry translation constitutes its complexity and anti-translatability. Poetry translation activity itself and its theoretical research fields are thus filled with a lot of controversial topics, such as literal translation and free translation, likeness in form and likeness in spirit, faithfulness and creativeness, science and art, domestication and foreignization, or naturalization and alienation. In view of these controversies, and drawing on achievements of contemporary Western translation studies, we attempt to examine poetry translation studies from the perspective of the Chinese Doctrine of the Mean (CDM) with a view to finding a new way of thinking for poetry translation studies.By reviewing the characteristics of the Chinese Doctrine of the Mean and translation, we find that CDM has an important value of reference for literary translation, especially poetry translation. The echoing nature of the inter-characteristics of poetry translation with the main points of CDM provides the basis for introducing this valuable intellectual resource to the field of poetry translation.We have managed to construct a golden-mean framework for poetry translation in combination with contemporary Western translatological and literary theories by taking the core CDM concepts of "sincerity" and "neutralization" as the ethical and aesthetic foundation, and "avoiding extremes to keep to the mean" as the methodological guidance. This framework defines the process of poetry translation from three aspects: the aesthetic goal of poetry translation, the translator's ethical norms, and the choice of translation strategies. Firstly, "beauty in neutralization", the aesthetic goal of poetry translation. The "beauty in neutralization", or "beauty in harmony", advocated in CDM is the very goal of translation activities, reached through all contradictions and conflicts. Secondly, "utmost sincerity and excellence", the ethical standard for poetry translation. The doctrine of the mean, based on the Confucian ethical thought, is the highest moral standard. As far as poetry translation is concerned, the translator is required to abide by this ethical code and proceed from "sincerity and faithfulness" in dealing with the original poem, the poet and the reader. Thirdly, "avoiding extremes to keep to the mean", the tactical thought of poetry translation. Methodologically speaking, CDM means proper handling of matters, without going to either extreme, for going beyond the limit means insufficiency. This point provides a strategical or methodological basis for dealing with the conflicts and antagonism in poetry translation.The three aspects mentioned above are interrelated, together they make an organic whole. They embody the general formula and thinking process in translation activities from the basic principle to the standards and methods, from the abstract to the specific. It is this trio that make up the CDM framework of poetry translation theory.To verify the feasibility and practicability of our theoretical framework, we have chosen a number of the C-E translated versions of three representative poems by the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei:《渭川田家》,《送元二使安西》and《终南别业》, for detailed comparative study. A total of 21 translated versions have been focused on and evaluated in detail. One of the findings is that the aesthetic effect of poetry translation is closely related to the translation ethics of the translator, namely, his attitude towards relevant others, and his choice of translation strategies. The translator's conscious or unconscious practice in the CDM theory will produce prominent aesthetic effect, reaching or coming closer to the "beauty in neutralization". Failing to do so means mistranslation of one kind or another in content or in form, even deliberate departure from the original poem.The comparative study of the translated versions (the greatest number we have been able to collect so far) of the representative poems shows that the guidance of CDM in poetry translation encourages the translator to aim at the "utmost sincerity and excellence" with a clear sense of mission in restituting the beauty of the original poem through feasible management and, in reducing slips and errors to the least, to approach the "beauty in neutralization" and the effect of harmony. Poetry translation done in this fashion has proved to be reliable in theory and flexible in practice.The innovation of this dissertation lies mainly in the following points. Firstly, it has initially built a CDM framework to provide a theoretical basis for poetry translation and literary translation. Secondly, it has proposed "beauty in neutralization" as a standard for translation aesthetics. Thirdly, it has put forward the "utmost sincerity and excellence" as the CDM ethics for poetry translation. And fourthly, it has advocated "avoiding extremes to keep to the mean" as the tactical or methodological ways for poetry translation.The practical value of this dissertation can be described as follows. Firstly, the CDM poetry translation framework provides important reference for the theoretical system construction of poetry translation. Secondly, this study can offer some practical guide for improving work in poetry translation, and help to promote the cultural exchanges between China and the West in spreading Chinese poetry to the world. Thirdly, the CDM idea of "avoiding extremes to keep to the mean" can help overcome logos-centrism and widen the horizen of translatological development. And fourthly, the introduction of the CDM ideas opens new space for philosophical development and helps enhance Chinese traditional culture in the world today.The CDM view provides a new perspective for poetry translation. It helps us overcome misunderstanding and adds a new way of thinking in dealing with the controversies in poetry translation. It will be of positive significance to current as well as future literary translation practice and theoretical studies. The present study leaves room for further research, chiefly in the practical measures for carrying out the CDM ideas of the framework. This will be the task of the follow-up work for the author of this dissertation.