第一任美国驻华大使蒲安臣与其参与的中西翻译活动

A Study of the First American Ambassador to China: Anson Burlingame and His Translation Activities

本文结合翻译研究中的"中间人"概念,通过文献梳理考证出蒲安臣(Anson Burlingame,1820—1870)作为翻译活动的中间人,促成或参与了《人生颂》和《万国公法》在中国的译介,同时又通过摘译文将中国学者徐继畬所撰的《瀛环志略》一书介绍给美国,促进了中美之间的友好交流。作为翻译活动的中间人,蒲安臣无疑还对推动中国融入新的世界体系起了相当积极的作用。

This paper, based on the concept "intermediary'' in translation studies, illustrates Anson Burlingame^ role in the translation of A Psalm of Life and Elements of International Law into Chinese and of World Geography by Xu Jishe into English. He especially wrote a summary of the English version of the latter to introduce it into America. Through his introduction of the books and his involvement in the translation, he helped to facilitate the communication between China and America. In particular, Burlingame, as an intermediary in translation, contributed to promoting China's integration into the new world's system.