On The English Translation Of New Chinese Poetry

Since ancient times,China has been crowned as “the nation of poetry”,enjoying great prestige both at home and abroad.Literati from previous dynasties have left countless poems,exerting a profound influence on later generations.Poetry has not only thrived within China,but also beyond its borders,thereby affecting generations of Western readers.The emergence of new Chinese poetry as a novel literary genre,along with the New Culture Movement,became a focal point in the Chinese language world during the early20 th century.However,little is known about its dissemination and acceptance in the English-speaking world.Cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries have been accelerated since the late Qing dynasty,with translation serving as the most important communication agent.As an essential carrier of new Chinese culture,the translation of new Chinese poetry can not only help people in English-speaking countries learn about the literary gems of China,but also provide Western readers with a better understanding of modern and contemporary Chinese thought and culture.Hence,the spread and acceptance of new Chinese poetry in the English-speaking world promises to be a new point of interest in academic research.The English translation of new Chinese poetry can be roughly divided into three stages: the initial stage from 1929 to 1949,a slow development between 1950 and 1979,and a flourishing period after 1980.Throughout this process,new Chinese poetry has gradually occupied the market of English-speaking countries,with the translation center shifting between the mainland and Taiwan as the circumstances change.In the meantime,the research center for Chinese studies overseas has changed from the UK before WWII to the United States.However,due to differences in ideology and culture,as well as prejudice and discrimination from Western readers,new Chinese poetry has not been well received in the Western world.This outcome,to some extent,reflects the aesthetic preferences and interests of Western readers.The literary field is lopsided in the English-speaking world due to the influence of various factors.Political factors in the West have played a vital role in the emergence of new Chinese poetry.The promotion of this literary form,however,has been less successful than others.Hence,it is of great academic value to explore the communication patterns of new Chinese poetry in the Western world,review the history of its translation,probe into the stylistic features and cultural properties of the translated versions,and finally pinpoint its translation features and role in global literature.It can be known from the development of Chinese poetry in the English world that translated versions have played a crucial role in the dissemination of new Chinese poetry.Despite having a niche readership,a large number of new poetry works have been translated and introduced to foreign countries,drawing worldwide attention.In 1929,Images in Jade: Translations from Classical and Modern Chinese Poetry,containing modern poems written by Lum Chung Pak,was published by E.P.Dutton & Co.in New York.It was the earliest collection of translated English poetry that included translations of modern Chinese poems,and has not yet been introduced by the literary circle.A few years later,in 1935,the Chicago-based magazine Poetry: A Magazine of Verse,Chinese Number and T’ien Hsia Monthly,based in Shanghai,were among the first to publish new Chinese poetry.The following year,Modern Chinese Poetry,published by the London-based Duckworth,came out,symbolizing the official introduction of new Chinese poetry to the West in the form of collections.Ever since then,a multitude of poets from the Crescent School,Modernist School,Realistic Poets,Nine Leaves School of Poetry,Misty School of Poetry,and Taiwan Poets,as well as their works,have been successively introduced to the English-speaking world,making them a new object of attention among Western readers.However,the English translation of new Chinese poetry vary in quality,with some being accurate while others contain misinterpretations and omissions,thus providing academic space for the study of the English translation of new Chinese poetry.Both governmental and non-governmental entities contribute significantly to the translation,promotion,and development of new Chinese poetry.The Chinese government first started to translate new Chinese poetry in the 1950 s.Later,more poems have been translated and introduced via Chinese Literature,Panda Books and other governmental channels.The non-governmental translation of new Chinese poetry depends on the cultural self-awareness of translators.The study of new Chinese poetry by Western sinologists in the European and American cultural contexts,as well as the introduction of courses on new Chinese poetry by universities in English-speaking countries,reflects the dissemination and acceptance of this genre.Throughout this process,various theoretical views have popped up,which are essential for expanding the literary space.When it comes to the translation of new Chinese poetry,the translation objects,methods and effects should all be taken into consideration.In the literary context of the English-speaking world,the creation,dissemination,and acceptance of new Chinese poetry can be studied from such aspects as communication subjects,communication contents,communication agents,communication channels and communication objects.Poetry translation,in essence,is the product of interlingual practice.Factors such as the translator’s subjectivity,the principle and scale of rewriting in translated poems,and the translatability and untranslatability of poems all affect the translation of new Chinese poetry.With the advent of the era of global intelligence,it is also an urgent topic for the academic community to further explore diversified channels for new Chinese poetry to go global.The new Chinese poetry is an integral part of modern and contemporary Chinese literature and Chinese culture.Its promotion in the English-speaking world also represents the projection of Chinese culture into an exotic space.It has been nearly a century since new Chinese poetry was first translated and introduced to the English-speaking world in1929.In the context of ongoing globalization,exploring the dissemination and acceptance of new Chinese poetry in the English-speaking world encompasses a broad range of topics and holds unique theoretical and practical significance.Theoretically,it helps us to explore the self-positioning of new Chinese poetry in the broader context of the world’s new poetry culture.In terms of practical value,as a unique symbol of culture,new Chinese poetry embodies the national values of China.As contemporary China continues to rise as a global power,researching on the English translation of new Chinese poetry can help elevate China’s image by promoting its national identity with cultural confidence.