Cultural Comparison Of Translation Of Western Anatomy Between China And Japan Before The Opium War

During the first eastward transmission of western learning before the Opium War, western anatomic translations came out in both China and Japan. Chinese translations Taixi Renshen Shuogai(《泰西人身说概》,Outline of Human Body of the West) and Renshen Tushuo(《人身图说》,Illustrated Explanation of the Human Body) are the only Chinese translations of western anatomy in China in this period. Kaitai Shinsho(《解体新书》),a Chinese translation of western anatomy by Japanese, is the most representative and influential translation of western anatomy in Japan in the same period. Comparing these two representative translations of the two countries, the motivations, ways, contents of the translations and the influence of the publications are of great differences, which reflects the huge influence of the traditional culture.The cultural traditions of China and Japan are comparatively studied through the world view, values and education. And the analysis of the attitudes towards Hua Yi concept and Five Elements Theory, ethical values, work values, utility values and educational values explores the differences between Chinese and Japanese cultural traditions, which caused the profound impact of the translation of western anatomy in both countries.