A Comprehensive Comment On The Translations Of Mao Zedong Poems From The Perspectives Of Chesterman's Translation Norm Theory

Mao Zedong poems, which occupy a curious but assured position in Chinese literature, have exerted a deep and extensive influence both at home and abroad. More than ten English versions of Mao Zedong poems emerged between the 50s and the 90sof the 20th Century. However, the study on the English translations of Mao Zedong poems is relatively weak. Current comments on the English versions are mostly subjective and prescriptive. By adopting the method of grading, text analysis, comparative analysis, and statistics, this paper aims to make a descriptive study on the 12 English versions of Mao Zedong poems from the perspective of Chesterman's Translation Norm Theory and get a relatively objective comment on each version through the analysis of the norms that influence the formation of the translation.Chesterman's Translation Norm Theory is descriptive. This essay intends to analyze, through a descriptive study of the 12 English versions of Mao Zedong poems, the dominant norm that is hidden behind each version and its influence on the translation. In the process of descriptive study, detailed analysis of the 12 versions is carried out. They are classified into three groups according to the translators' nationalities, the time of the translations and their different backgrounds.At last, a conclusion is arrived at that translation is influenced by synchronic as well as diachronic factors, which results in a certain professional norm performing as the dominant norm. As a harmonious integration of politics, military affairs, history, philosophy and art, Mao Zedong poems seem more complex than other texts in translation. Various English versions of Mao Zedong poems reflect the influence of different professional norms. As for each version, we should pay attention to the reasons resulting in it and the translator's aim instead of focusing only on the mistranslations. The difference of the translation aims embodies the effort of the translators to conform to the expectancy norm in different perspectives. The versions conforming to different professional norms make a complement to one another and the study on this very complement will help readers to get a more comprehensive and objective understanding of Mao Zedong poems.