“知人论世”“以意逆志”的跨文化诠释——以理雅各《中国经典》英译为例

Where “Thoughts” Meet the “Scope”: A Chinese Hermeneutic Account of James Legge's Translation Guidelines for The Chinese Classics

"知人论世""以意逆志"为中国传统文论与经学诠释学的重要命题。以文化沟通的视角审视其意义内涵,可见其中天然地包含跨越时空与文化隔阂、实现平等对话与理解的理论向度。苏格兰汉学家理雅各以"以意逆志"为《中国经典》系列丛书的翻译总纲,以"知人论世"为理解的基本态度。考查其英译实践可以发现,理雅各以"志"将"知人论世"与"以意逆志"有机结合,着重突出"以意逆志"的"浸入式"理解模式和"知人论世"的文化开放性心态,借助文化复原性力量,克服文辞、时空及文化的障碍,形成释读、理解和传达中国话语的方法论体系,展现中国诠释基本命题的跨文化生命力。

＂To realize friendship＂ and ＂To make the thoughts meet the scope＂ have been valued as guidelines for understanding and interpreting Chinese Classics. Yet, when reevaluated in the context of cross-cultural communication, both objectives place writers and readers separated by time, languages, and cultures on equal footing by fostering mutual communication through dialogue. Coincidentally, such equalization overlaps with the nature of translation. Thus, in James Legge＇s translation of the five-volume Chinese Classics, ＂To realize friendship＂ and ＂To make the thoughts meet the scope＂ channeled him into observing the life and world of those Chinese figures living in and beyond the text. Consequently, Legge developed his commitment to reestablish the hermeneutic traditions of Chinese classic narratives and his resolution to accomplish the translation based on ethical recognition.