林语堂英译《笔法记》评注与修订

Annotating and Revising Lin Yutang's A Conversation on Method

上世纪60年代林语堂的《笔法记》英译A Conversation on Method是一部拓荒之作,是向西方人介绍中国山水画理论的重要学术工作。(五代)荆浩的《笔法记》为我国具有民族性的山水画体裁提供了重要的理论依据。《笔法记》提出"图真"的美学概念,在这基础上为中国绘画提供一个新的品评体系"六要"(气、韵、思、景、笔、墨)及"神、妙、奇、巧"四级标准。林氏译文在文学上典雅晓白,成就甚高;但可惜在重要的画论概念的翻译上,通达有余,信实不足,未能把《笔法记》最重要的理论贡献充分传递给英语读者。通过林氏译文的修订与评注,能在其基础上更好地向西方介绍中国特有的山水画美术理论。此外,在修订译文,并与荆浩原文、林氏译文的比对过程中,发现翻译不仅是单向的文化传递,也是从另外一种语言文化的视角来回望中国传统文化,并逆向地产生对《笔法记》新的释读。

Lin Yutang＇s A Conversation on Method, an English translation of 《笔法记》done in the 1960s,is a trail-blazing academic work that introduces Chinese landscape painting theories to the Westerners. 《笔法记》, which can literally be translated as Notes on Landscape Painting Techniques and was written by Jing Hao in the Period of Five Dynasties （907 -960 AD）, provides an important theoretical basis for landscape painting with Chinese characteristics. It proposes the new aesthet- ic concept of ＂striving for truth＂ and thenceforward gives Chinese painting a new evaluative system of ＂six essentials＂ and ＂four levels＂, the former being ＂spirit＂, ＂mood and atmosphere＂, ＂thought＂, ＂ scene＂, ＂brushwork＂ and ＂ ink-work＂ and the latter being ＂masterly＂, ＂wonderful＂, ＂exciting＂ and ＂clever＂. Admittedly, from a literary point of view Lin＇s translation, elegant and lucid, is of high artistic excellence, but its translation of the important painting terms, though ex- pressive, is by no means faithful and therefore fails to fully convey the important theoretical contribution of 《笔法记》 to the English readers. However, through annotating and revising Lin＇s translation, we can better introduce the uniquely Chinese landscape painting theories to the West. Besides, while revising Lin＇s translation and comparing it with Jing Hao＇s original work, the author finds that translation is not a one-way cultural communication, but rather a reexamination of traditional Chinese culture from another linguistic and cultural perspective. In this light, a new retrospective interpretation of 《笔法记》is obtained.