庞德译作《华夏集》研究中的“东方主义”视角述评

A Review of the Orientalism Perspective in the Studies of the Translated Version of Cathay by Ezra Pound

早在东方主义概念提出之前,关于如何评价庞德《华夏集》与中国诗歌本来面目的关系,艾略特就做出过评价,该评价与半个世纪后的萨义德东方主义理论不谋而合,认为《华夏集》并非中国古代诗歌的翻译集,与中国没什么关系。中国学者钱兆明对这种观点不满提出了东方主义新的内涵,认为中国不是一个等待被发现的他者而是对20世纪的英美文学现代主义进程起到了至关重要的作用。本文认为东方主义的概念的运用的确应有诸多的限制条件,否则就变成了生搬硬套欲加之罪。庞德本身是东西方文化相遇的典型范例,对他的评价不可将东方主义概念简单加以套用,更不能据此抹杀他在中美文化交流中的伟大作用。

Before Edward Said＇s concept of orientalism was put forward, T.S. Eliot had commented on the relation between Pound＇s Cathay and Chinese poems. Eliot＇s comments converge with the ideas of Said, holding that Cathay was not translations of ancient Chinese poems nor was it related to China. The Chinese scholar Qian Zhaoming did not agree with such an interpreta- tion. He theorized on the new meaning of orientalism, arguing that China is not an Other waiting to be discovered but a signifi- cant force that played a vital role in the modernist movement in British and American literary process. This article contends that the concept of orientalism should not be abused and that Pound as an epitome of the encounter between the Western and oriental culture should not be simply understood trough prejudiced use of orientalism.