A Report On The English-Chinese Translation Of The Introduction Of James Legge’s The I Ching

The English version of The I Ching by James Legge plays an important role in the history of The I Ching’s dissemination to the west.The introduction part of this book is an indispensable reference in the study of The I Ching in the west,which not only reflects the Legge’s translation thought but also reflects the western scholars’ understanding and study of this book and even Chinese classics.The translation material comes from the recommendation of the author’s supervisor,and the whole translation process is completed under the guidance of Katharina Reiss’ s text typology.The source text is characterized by a large number of proper nouns and terms related to The I Ching,many long and difficult compound sentences,and passive sentences,requiring the translator to have profound literary knowledge and translation skills.Besides,the source text is a philosophical text,without aesthetic or persuasive elements,which can be classified as informative type.In order to successfully complete the translation task,the author of the report studied translation theory and translation techniques,and read relevant parallel texts to accumulate background cultural knowledge before translation.Then,under the guidance of text typology,corresponding translation techniques are adopted at the lexical,syntactic,and textual levels for the difficulties in the source text.Amplification,omission,liberal translation,and conversion are used for translation at the lexical level.Combination,division,inversion,and change of voices are used for translation at sentential level.Substitution,repetition,ellipse,and changing the layout of logical information are taken for cohesion and coherence at the textual level.Translation of the Introduction of The I Ching by Legge will help Chinese scholars understand the history of the translation and dissemination of The I Ching in the west and recognize the unique interpretation of this classic by western scholars in a western cultural context,thus promoting the exchange and dialogue between Chinese and western studies of The I Ching.