The Translation Of The Classical Chinese Novels From The Aesthetic Perspective

The classical Chinese novels are gems of Chinese ancient arts. While the translation of the classical Chinese novels boasts a long history, its translation research lags far behind its translation practice. There is scarce material which takes the classical Chinese novels as a research target and explores the theory and practice of its English translation as a whole, much less the research from the aesthetic perspective.Shui Hu Zhuan, ranked as one of four great classical Chinese novels, is the outstanding representative of the classical Chinese novels. Among various English translation versions, Shapiro's and Buck's versions are recommended as the best ones. The thesis takes their translation as examples with the hope of finding the general rules in English translation of the classical Chinese novels.Apart from the relevant western aesthetic theories, the thesis takes Chinese contemporary translation aesthetics as its theoretical basis and holds the view that the integration of aesthetics and translation will promote the development of English translation of the classical Chinese novels and aesthetic perspective is an indispensable chain in English translation of the classical Chinese novels.The thesis is unique in the following respects:(1) New perspective: the thesis handles the theory and practice of English translation of the classical Chinese novels from a new angle—aesthetic perspective.(2) Combination theoretical guidance with translation practice: the thesis pays equal attention to theories and practice, explores the theory and practice of translation integrally and systematically, and promotes and enriches the theory and practice of English translation of the classical Chinese novels to some extent.(3) Integrity: the thesis holds an integral view of aesthetic elemental system of translation; explores aesthetic consciousness system of translation; proposes the general norm and strategies of aesthetic reproduction of translation and supports them with translation examples from Shapiro's and Buck's versions.(4) The representation of aesthetic information at three levels: in the thesis, the text is divided into three levels—the discourse level, the image level and the implication level, which contributes to solving the contradiction between form and content in aesthetic representation of translation.The thesis takes comparison and exemplification as research methodology and follows the steps as below:Firstly, through the literature review, the author finds out: the range of English translation of the classical Chinese novels is too limited and lacks in integral and comprehensive research; translation theory and practice can not support each other; there is far less enough research from aesthetic perspective.Then, with Shapiro's and Buck's translations of Shui Hu Zhuan as examples, many drawbacks can be found due to failure in transfer of much aesthetic information in SL. Therefore, the breakthrough point of the thesis has been located. And we can draw the conclusion: It is of necessity to explore the theory and practice of English translation of the classical Chinese novels integrally and systematically from the aesthetic perspective.Secondly, as is discussed above, the thesis holds relevant Chinese and foreign aesthetic theories as its theoretic basis, demonstrated are such aesthetic theories in the following as:the theory of Translation Aesthetics, the theory of Reception Aesthetics, the theory of Gestalt Aesthetics and the theory of Expressive Aesthetics.Then comes the analysis of aesthetic elemental system and aesthetic consciousness system of translation; based on an integral consideration, proposed are the general norm and strategies of aesthetic reproduction of translation at the three levels. The next discussion involves the comparison of Shapiro's and Buck's English translations of Shui Hu Zhuan from the perspective of aesthetics with relevant translation strategies.Finally, the conclusion comes after summary and review of the thesis.