Abstract:As shining treasure in Chinese traditional culture, more and more classical Chinese Tang-dynasty poems are translated into various foreign languages. The translation of classical Chinese Tang-dynasty poems plays an important role in the transmission of Chinese culture in the world. However, it is not easy to translate poems, because their beauties like beauty in image, beauty in form, beauty in sound, and the like, can hardly be completely reproduced in the target texts. 

In order to keep the beauty of the original, we make use of the theories of translation. Translation aesthetics is a combination of translation and aesthetics. It plays a leading role in the study of poetry translation, because poetry itself is a process of enjoying and experiencing beauty. Only when the translator has the aesthetic consciousness can here create the beauty of the original in the target text. Similarly, poetry translation criticism also needs the theories of translation aesthetics to support itself. Therefore, I will do my research on the theoretical basis of translation aesthetics.

In translating Chinese Tang-dynasty poems, one of the most difficult problems is how to well keep the image in the poems translation. As we all know, in writing Chinese poems, poets attach much importance to express their emotion, which is not expressed directly. Instead, poets use perspectives or objectives to express their feelings or views. The technique of expression is so-called “image”. During the previous studies of translating Chinese Tang-dynasty poems, Xu Yuanchong’s contribution is great. His translation of Chinese Tang-dynasty poems basically keeps the beauty of image of poems. Here, I am going to, from the perspective of translation aesthetics, look for the solutions to the problem---how to keep the beauty of image in Chinese Tang-dynasty poems translation.

Keywords: Chinese Tang-dynasty poems; translation aesthetics; beauty of image; Xu Yuanchong

Contents

摘要

Abstract

Chapter 1 Introduction-1

1.1 Studies Abroad-1

1.2 Studies in China-2

Chapter 2 the Development of Translation Theory in China-3

2.1 Some Influential Translation Theories by Chinese Translation Theorist-3

2.1.1 Yan Fu’s Triple Translation Criteria-3

2.1.2 Fu Lei’s Translation Theory of “Being Alike in Spirit”-4

2.1.3 Qian Zhongshu’s Transmigration Theory-4

Chapter 3 the Origin and Development of Translation Aesthetics-7

3.1 A general introduction to translation aesthetics-7

3.2 The definitions for aesthetics-7

3.3 The relationship between aesthetics and translation theory-7

3.4 Aesthetics in Xu YuanZhong’s poetic translation theory-8

Chapter 4 the Transference of Beauty of Artistic Conception-9

4.1 Tang-dynasty poems translation and translation aesthetics-9

4.2 The transference of beauty of artistic conception in Tang-dynasty poetry translation from the perspective of translation aesthetics-9

4.2.1 Aesthetic object: artistic conception-9

4.2.2 Aesthetic subject: translator-10

4.2.3 Aesthetic reproduction-11

4.3 Aesthetic psychology and translation study-12

Chapter 5 Conclusion-15

5.1 Achievements-15

5.2 Limitations and Expectations-15

Bibliography-17

Acknowledgements-19