On The Translation And Interpretation Of Wang Fu-chih’s Poetic Theory In The English World

Wang Fu-chih is one of the finest critics in the history of Chinese literary criticism,whose critical writings have a depth and originality unsurpassed in Chinese criticism.The core contents of his poetic poetry can be summarized in the following three aspects:On the relationship between ch’ing and ching,the theory of Hsien liang,and the theory of the "four affections".This paper focuses on these three issues,taking Wang Fu-chih’s most important poetic work,Chiang-chai shih-hua,as the core text,taking three anthologies(Ku-shih p’ing-hsüan,T’ang-shih p’ing-hsüan,Ming-shih p’ing-hsüan)and Shih kuang-chuan into consideration,arranging the translation,interpretation and affection of Wang Fu-chih’s poetic discourses in the English world,exploring the diversity between Chinese and Western expositor,and rediscovering the contemporary and international significance of classical Chinese critical writings through the interaction between Chinese and western versions.The first chapter briefly overviews the translation of Wang Fu-chih’s poetic theory in the English world,sorting out 12 works of 9 translators in chronological order.Wang Fu-chih’s academic thoughts received the attention of overseas scholars in the 1920s,and in the 1960s,his poetics came into the study view of English world.It was Siu-kit Wong and Stephen Owen who really started the English translation of Chiang-chai shih-hua.According to the search results of Worldcat,the translation,introduction and research results of the two scholars on Wang Fu-chih’s poetry have certain affection and acceptance effectiveness in the English world.Chapter two focuses on the relationship between ch’ing and ching in Wang Fu-chih’s critical writings.The first section base on the translation and interpretation of ch’ing and ching by scholars in the English world,to expand the meaning and connotation of ch’ing and ching in Wang Fu-chih’s poetic theory:ch’ing is the natural result of the interaction between the hsin(mind)of a person and the wu(things)in the outer world,while ching is the standpoint between subject and object,which has two basic meanings that are "scenery" and "scene",Scholars mostly use "feeling" or"emotion" to translate the category ch ’ing and use "scene" to translate the term ching.Though the semantics are similar,it is difficult for English words to fully convey the rich senses of ch’ing and ching.Section two pays attention to the core issues of Wang Fu-chih’s critical writings of ching and ch’ing such as "ch’ing and ching are inseparable," "ch ’ing and ching engender each other" and "ch’ing and ch’ing are in the dynamic process of interaction",then introduces and analysis relevant translation and elaboration of English-speaking researchers.By sorting out the explanations from James J.Y.Liu,Siu-kit Wong,Alison Harley Black and Stephen Owen,we could summarizes the breakthroughs of Wang Fu-chih’s theory of ching and ch ’ing as follows:1.He points out that ch ’ing and ching are inseparable in reality,and the relationship between ch’ing and ching in poetry can be divided into three levels:"miao-ho wu-yin"(exquisitely blended without a boundary),"ch’ing in ching "(the visual experience exists in the emotional experience)and "ching in ch’ing"(the emotional experience exists in the visual experience);2.He points out that ching in ch’ing trigger and define each other,and the feeling shown in poem may be opposite to the emotion of the scenery in the poem;3.The genuine poetry arises out of the process of interaction between man and nature,and the uniqueness of poetry itself lies in its unique role of presenting the universe and communicating between the outer world and human.The third chapter focuses on Wang Fu-chih’s critical writings on Hsien liang(Perception-of-thisness).When using and explaining the concept of Hsien liang.Wang often intertwines it with traditional poetic concepts such as Hsing-hui(stir),Hsin-mu(the mind’s eye),and Chi-ch’ing-hui-hsin(the scene meets mind).By analysing the translation and interpretation of related poetic entries in the English world,we could find that Hsing-hui is the process of poetic feelings arising from the poet’s personal experience of the physical world,in which the poet’s mind encounters external things;Hsin-mu emphasizes that poetry must deal with what poet have seen and experienced personally,while Chi-ch’ing-hui-hsin emphasizes that the poem is generated from the unpremeditated interaction between natural feeling and the reality of things spontaneously.Section two first explores the etymology and definition of Hsien liang,which was a Buddhist jargon that refers to knowledge derived from perception.Wang regards Hsien liang as a poetic conception,giving it three meanings of "present","immediate" and "emerge the truest nature",stressing the perception on first encounter between man and things.In the English world,Siu-kit Wong translated Hsien liang as "Perception-of-thisness",and Stephen Owen translated Hsien liang as"Presence".By researching their translations and commentaries,we argues that Wang’s theory of Hsien liang not only summarizes the poet’s creative realm,but also proves the generative nature of poetry.The third section focuses on the interpretation of shi-fa(poetic rules)by scholars in the English world.Alison Harley Black and Siu-kit Wong understand fa as its own natural laws or rules of poetic process,which develop organically within.They provide evidence of the legitimacy of "poetic rules"and further prove the generative nature of poetry.Chapter 4 focuses on Wang Fu-chih’s poetic theory of the "four affections".In order to develop a basic understanding,the first section explores the original text of Wang’s poetic treatise and the interpretive perspectives of Chinese researchers.Wang regards "stir," "observe," "interconnect," and "grieve" as the four possible ways of emotional expression in poetry,believing that the "four affections" can promote and transform each other,which is a criterion to measure the value of poetry and to identify the prosperity and decline of poetry’s development history.The second section discusses the translation and interpretation of the "four affections" in the English world.Siu-kit Wong focuses on Wang’s explanation of k’o-yi and argues that the most important meaning of the "four affections" is to allow and encourage readers to arrive at their own interpretations of the poem according to his own emotions.Wong then uses a twentieth century jargon "ambiguous" to recognize the "four affections".Stephen Owen pays attention to Wang’s discussion of the transformation between four affections,proposing that Wang identifies the right of interpreter to determine the significance of poetic text.Owen then associates theory of the "four affections" with Gadamer’s hermeneutics.In addition,Siu-kit Wong argues that the poetry in Wang’s perspective has multiple significances,while Alison suggests that Wang’s concept of the reader’s participation in the poetic process lends continuing support to the "dynamic concept" of poetry,and Cecile Chu-chin Sun proposes that Wang’s reinterpretation of the four functions of poetry implies an approach that poetry premised on the central concept of interaction.From an ontological perspective,Wang’s understanding of the essential properties of poetry can be summarized as"dynamic autogenerative".Overview the translation and interpretation of Wang Fu-chih’s poetic theory by researchers in the English world,there is a translation dilemma that the English words does not correspond to Wang’s original meaning.The reason for this dilemma is,on the one hand,the heterogeneity of language and the interpretative quality of translation itself,and on the other hand,the difference between Chinese and Western model of mind and category.In order to make Chinese literature theories truly spread out,it is necessary to uphold the position of dialogue and interflow,to carry out mutual interpretation of texts on the premise of respecting and recognizing cultural differences,to establish the global identity and to rebuild the "Chineseness" identity of classical Chinese critical writings in contemporary era.