A Study Of Xu Yuanchong’s Translation Of Dream In Peony Pavilion From The Perspective Of Adaptation Theory

Ever since its coming out in Ming dynasty, Dream in Peony Pavilion composedby Tang Xianzu has been regarded as the most distinguished drama. As an eminenttranslator in Chinese classical works, Xu Yuanchong’s translation of Dream in PeonyPavilion brings us musical beauty, image beauty and symbolic beauty and so it hasreceived a high reputation. Xu’s translation of Dream in Peony Pavilion has attracteda great many of scholars, but most of them focus on Wang Rongpei’s translation ofDream in Peony Pavilion and their studies concentrate on microscopic levels.Researches concerning such issues as comparative analysis of different translationversion of Dream in Peony Pavilion, translation of allusions, idioms and metaphorsare easy to spot, however, the researches regarding a comprehensive and systematicstudy of Xu’s translation of Dream in Peony Pavilion are far and between. In thisthesis, the author will analyze Xu’s translation of Dream in Peony Pavilion from theperspective of Adaptation Theory, which is a comprehensive and systematic study.Adaptation theory was first proposed by Jef Verschueren. It is a pragmatic theorywhich has strong explanatory power and good application value and it is bound tohave a good perspective as it comprehends and interprets pragmatics from a newperspective. There are four angles of investigation involved in Adaptation Theory:contextual correlates of adaptability; structural objects of adaptability; dynamics ofadaptability; salience of the adaptation process. The four angles take linguistic, socialand contextual factors into account. Therefore, the theory can be applied to thetranslation study of Dream in Peony Pavilion. This thesis is conducted by means ofqualitative research method and the author will first analyze Xu’s translation ofDream in Peony Pavilion, and then get the conclusion from her analysis. This thesisis designed to explain that the process of Xu’s rendering of Dream in Peony Pavilionin fact is a process of making choices.This thesis includes five parts: an introduction, literature review, theoreticalframework, a study of Xu’s translation of Dream in Peony Pavilion from the perspective of Adaptation Theory and the conclusion. The introduction elaborates onthe research background, research purpose, research question, research significanceand research methodology. In literature review, the author first expounds the previousstudies on Adaptation Theory and Dream in Peony Pavilion, then points out thelimitations of previous studies, which indicates the necessity of the research necessary.Theoretical framework consists of a brief introduction of Adaptation Theory, threekey notions, four angles of investigation and the relationship between AdaptationTheory and translation. A study of Xu’s translation of Dream in Peony Pavilion fromthe perspective of Adaptation Theory explains how the translator makes choicesdynamically in the process of translation to achieve his translation purpose. Theconclusion part sums up the thesis.Based on the study of Xu Yuanchong’s translation of Dream in Peony Pavilionfrom the perspective of Adaptation Theory, the author points out translation in fact isa process of language transference and cultural transmission in which the translatorcontinuously makes dynamic adaptations to contextual correlates and structuralobjects with different degree of salience under the guidance of Adaptation Theory. Inorder to make the adaptations go successfully, Xu Yuanchong employs twotranslation strategies: domestication and foreignization. Under the guidance ofAdaptation Theory, the thesis enables the author to put in some ideas while studyingXu’s translation of Dream in Peony Pavilion.