On The Translation Of Classical Chinese Poetry: A Cultural Perspective

Translation, according to I. A. Richards, is probably the most complex type of event in the history of the cosmos. This is because, as a cross-cultural communication event, it concerns not only two languages, but also two cultures. Although on the surface it deals with languages, it actually deals with cultures due to the close relationship between language and culture. Poetry, as the most concentrated and condensed form of literature, is the gem of a language and the crystallization of a culture. It is generally agreed that poetry is the most difficult genre of literature to translate, where linguistic competence alone does not suffice to guarantee the quality of translation. Classical Chinese poetry is the reflection of traditional Chinese culture and is imbued with cultural connotations. This thesis attempts to explore the translation of classical Chinese poetry from a cultural perspective, with a view to identifying the cultural factors and the ways to deal with them in translation. The thesis consists of three chapters in addition to an introduction and a conclusion.The Introduction deals with the ultimate relationship among language, culture and translation. As poetry is a concentrated reflection of culture, it is advisable to make study of poetry translation from a cultural perspective.Chapter One discusses the characteristics of classical Chinese poetry, which distinguish it from English poetry. They include tone, form, rhyming pattern, strict antithesis, juxtaposition of images, frequent omission of subject, and absence of number. This will lay the foundation for further discussion.Chapter Two explores the cultural factors in the translation of classical Chinese poetry. They are classified into two categories: cultural absence and cultural difference. The former is manifested in allusions, proper names, and puns. The latter comprises differences inform, meaning, association and aesthetic standards.Chapter Three probes into the approach to cultural transfer inpoetry translation-foreignization and domestication. Foreignizationis generally given priority to ensure the transference of the cultural elements and flavour of the source language text. This general principle is implemented through a number of basic translation methods in dealing with cultural factors: literal translation, footnoting, contextual amplification, generalization, paraphrase, substitution and omission and so on. What's more, the author believes that the translator has to take poetic form and poetic sound into consideration while translating poetry, for poetry is a unity of sound, form and meaning.In conclusion, a careful study of the cultural factors in classical Chinese poetry is essential to its successful translation, which will play an increasingly important role in the cultural exchanges between different peoples in the age of globalization.