An Approach To Sci-tech Translation In Ming-Qing Period From Functionalist Perspective

The sci-tech translation activity with specific purpose began in Ming dynasty in China. Before this period was the 1,000-year-long period of translation of Buddhist classics. The sci-tech translation of the early Ming dynasty acquainted Chinese people with preliminary introduction to western astronomy, calendar, mathematics, medicine, pharmaceutics and geography, and some science development of western countries. Later on, the sci-tech translation of Ming-Qing period provided new scientific background for political reformation of Chinese society. As science education advanced in China, the western science and technology were introduced into China through sci-tech translation.As translation, as well as sci-tech translation, is always done for a certain purpose, this paper tries to analyze the sci-tech translation of Ming-Qing period, especially Xu Guangqi's translation from the functionalist approach in the following five chapters.The first chapter is a brief introduction of the history of Chinese translation, which includes four waves of translation activities. The first wave was translation of Buddhist classics; the second wave of translating started in the late Ming Dynasty, the Chinese and foreign translators started the first climax of sci-tech translation; the third wave began in the mid 19th century, goes through the May 4th Movement, and focused on the social, military sciences, and literature. The fourth wave of translation activity continued on from the founding of the People's Republic of China to now. The second chapter introduces the translation before Ming-Qing period. Before this period, sci-tech translation was interspersed in the translation of Buddhist classics. This chapter contains the theories and methods of Buddhist translation along with the characteristics before Ming-Qing period. The third chapter is about the German functionalist approach to translation. The theory includes the definition of translation, as a purposeful activities, the analysis of participants in the process of translation and translation principles. The fourth chapter surveys the sci-tech translation activities, phenomenon, reason and result in Ming-Qing period. The individual translation activities then of missionaries followed by the collaboration between Chinese and Western translators, formed the first upsurge of sci-tech translation in China. The fifth chapter researches on the translation of Xu Guangqi. The purposeful and selective characteristics of his translation were practical and applicable to Chinese conditions then.In conclusion, this paper reassures Xu Guangqi's position as a pioneer in sci-tech translation history. His idea influenced later generations deeply, which gave rise to the birth of a generation who opened the eye to see the outside world and made the foreign achievements to serve China.