A Study Of Ku Hungming’s Translation Strategies From The Perspective Of Regimes

As the first scholar who promoted the dissemination of Chinese classics to the West, KuHungming’s proficiency in Western sciences and languages lies in his interculturalbackground. To introduce Confucianism to Western countries, Ku Hungming translatedancient Chinese classics such as Lun Yu, Zhong Yong and Da Xue from ancient Chinese toEnglish. Ku Hungming contributes greatly to the communication of Chinese and Westerncultures. While researches on Ku Hungming and his translations have not obtain enoughattention, and relative researches are still in its primary stage.From the eighties of20thcentury, researches on Ku Hungming’s translation have beenmainly studied from the cultural approach. In the analysis of these researches, some haveignored the individual particularity of Ku’s being in a specific intercultural background; somehave not achieved comprehensive theoretical studies on Ku Hungming’s translation purpose,motivation and strategy.This thesis aims to explore Ku Hungming’s translation thoughts and strategies from theview of regimes with special reference to Ku’s translation of Lun Yu. In this thesis, the authormainly analyzes Ku Hungming’s choice of source text, strategies and the acceptability of hisversion from the view of regime theory, which includes the formation, regulations and essenceof regimes. The author suggests that Ku Hungming translates Chinese classics works based onthe principle of promoting the communication of Chinese and Western cultures. As atranslator, Ku Hungming does not simply belong to Chinese culture or Western culture.Instead, under the regime of different cultures, he negotiates the mutual benefits of both sidesin the process of translation, and further accelerates the cooperation of both participants. Byadopting translation strategies that are profitable to both participants, Ku Hungming’stranslations have won high reputation at home and abroad. Scholars and common readers inthe West have been inspired by his translations to learn Chinese culture.Besides, Ku Hungming’s endeavor also brought in fresh blood to prevent the outbreak ofmoral crisis in the West. As an intercultural individual under the regime of Chinese andWestern cultures, Ku Hungming employs strategies with the aim of promoting the cooperation and negotiation of two cultures, and search for the mutual interests of both sides. Ku’saccomplishment proves that his choices of diversified strategies are appropriate under theregime of unbalanced development of Chinese and west cultures.