《唐宋词一百首》书评

Reviews on Translation of Chinese Poetry

Once classical Chinese poetry is translated into another language, the original flavour has gone immediately. Difference between Chinese and English(for example) exists on several aspects, only in the form of the languages such as phonetic and grammatical features but also in the various ways of thinking and behaviour under the different cultural enviroments.So the problem that everyone can’t avoid solving is the way of translation, literal or free? Comparing the ‘100 Tang and Song Ci Poems’ translated by Prof. Yuanzhong Xu and ‘100 Tang Poems’ translated by Prof. Tingchen Zhang, which both of them are published by a same publish press, we can easily find the two modes of translations. The latter is faithful to the words and structure of the original poems, while the former, on the contrary, is relatively free with a special focus on the rhyme.As far as I am concerned, I prefer to read the free translation than read the literal one. Many people ignore the possiblity of communication based on the similar cultural background, frankly speaking, they insist Sino-central culture inwardly or outwardly. In fact, traditional Chinese imagery and regulations of prosody are reaaly difficult to master to a beginner of a Chinese native, let alone a foreigner. Literal translation is loyal to the original, howerver, the imagery which full of Chinese characteristc piled up in a translated poem is strange and makes no sense to an alien reader. Prof. Xu’s version of translation which majority is faithful with a emphasis on rhymes or consonances is a typical model of good translation and can be easily accepted by a foreigner. A poem without rhymes can’t be regarded as a peom and might not be misunderstood as a prose even a note. It’s difficult but worth endeavoring to every translator who has the interest and responsibility to communicate traditional Chinese culture under the circumstance of globalization.