S.I.Hsiung’s Reconstruction Of Images In Tian Qiao:A Reception Aesthetics Perspective

Based on a description of the texts and a follow-up quantitative analysis,the current thesis explores S.I.Hsiung’s reconstruction of the auto-and hetero-images in his self-translated Tian Qiao from the perspective of reception aesthetics.Specifically,to describe Hsiung’s reconstruction of the hetero-images,the author firstly collects all the negative vocatives relating to the foreign images in The Bridge of Heaven and then compares them with their translated versions in Tian Qiao.As for the description of the reconstruction of the auto-images,by applying Leuven-Zwart’s comparative model,the author splits all the sentences concerning the auto-images into clauses.Then in order to summarize all the relevant modifications made by Hsiung,the author draws a comparison between these clauses and the translated ones.After that,all the modifications are boiled down to corresponding adjectives regarding the features of the images.Ultimately,Hsiung’s reconstruction of the auto-images is depicted on the basis of the frequency of the occurrence of different types of adjectives.The results indicate that the auto-images reconstructed mainly by Hsiung’s adoption of the method of addition are caring,reserved,self-conscious,and wise.Meanwhile,the hetero-images reconstructed by him are more negative and this reconstruction is largely dependent on his addition of the stereotype Gui Zi.Hsiung’s reconstruction of the auto-images is in line with Chinese readers’ horizon of expectation of the images of the Chinese who were restricted by Confucianism in the late Qing Dynasty.His reconstruction of the hetero-images is also accordant with Chinese readers’ horizon of expectation of the foreign images at that time.In this way,Hsiung shortens the aesthetic distance between the work and the target readers,thus ensuring a good reception of Tian Qiao.