Abstract

Shan Hai Ching is a Chinese classic text and a reputed compilation covering pretty wide knowledge of geography, astronomy, meteorology, history and religion. And our eyes are broaden with myths, animals, plants, minerals and medicine introduced here. It is widely acknowledged to be a fabulous geographical and cultural account of pre-Qin China as well as a collection of Chinese mythology. The book is divided into eighteen sections, “with a great number of descriptions of over 550 mountains and 300 channels”, according to the wikipedia. It contains many short myths, and most rarely exceed only one paragraph. However, it is undoubtedly acclaimed as a local encyclopedia for the social life of ancient Chinese people, shining charmingly in the Chinese literature domain like a never-dimmed star, as we always acquire something new and meaningful no matter whatever angle we view it.

However, to our upset, there are not many papers about the translations of Shan Hai Ching, needless to say the English complete versions, which might result from its uncertainties in its contents and appropriate translation strategies. The first English version was published by Anne Birrell, an American scholar, called The Classic of Mountains and Seas in 1999, which was characterized in fully literal translation and vulgar Anglo-Saxon vocabularies. While in 2010, Hunan People’s Publishing House published The Classic of Mountains and Seas, translated by Wang Hong, a senior professor in Soochow University and a bellwether in Chinese classic translation, who always complies with the basic principle of translation, “clarity, smoothness and conciseness”. Although these two versions have exactly the book name in common, people find it difficult in echoing one particular understanding of the Shan Hai Ching because of its discursive style. Thus, there is going to be a comparison involved of the various translations of the place names ever appeared in the classic with the analysis of translation methods to find out which one is a better option of Shan Hai Ching to the audience. In this essay, there will be five sessions, an introduction, literature review, the analysis of the versions of Anne Birrell and Wang Hong, the advantages and disadvantages of the two versions and a conclusion in the end.

Key Words: Shan Hai Ching; translations of place terms; translation methods

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Shan Hai Ching and Its English Versions-1

1.2 Purpose and Significance of the Study-1

1.3 Framework of the Thesis-2

2. Literature Review-2

2.1 Precious Studies of the English Versions of Shan hai Ching (in China and abroad)-2

2.2 Analysis on Precious Studies-3

2.3 The Translating Methods-3

2.3.1 Literal Translation and Transliteration-3

2.3.2 Domestication and Foreignization-5

2.4 Summary-5

3. The Analysis of the Translations of Anne Birrell and Wang Hong-6

3.1 The Different Translation Samples-6

3.1.1 The Translation of Mountains-6

3.1.2 The Translation of Water-8

3.1.3 The Translation of Towns and Countries-9

3.2 The Causes of the Two Various Translations-9

3.2.1 The Various Translation Strategies-10

3.2.1.1 The Literal Translation and Transliteration-10

3.2.1.2 Domestication and Foreignization-10

3.2.2 The Various Understandings toward the Text-10

4. The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Two Translations-11

4.1 The Advantages of the Two Versions-11

4.2 The Disadvantages of the Two Versions-11

Conclusion-13

References-14