英语世界中的《淮南子》选译研究:从“《老子》注脚”到“主题研译”

From “Footnotes of Laozi” to “The matic Research and Translation”: The Selected Translation of Huainanzi in the English World

《淮南子》成书于西汉初期,是汉初承续先秦,力求集各家之大成的鸿篇巨制,也是汉代“独尊儒术”之前,最后一部具有思想大综合特征的著作,对于研究中国古代思想、文化、历史具有重要价值。英语世界对《淮南子》的译介始于19世纪80年代,至今已有140余年的历史。在这期间,选译是《淮南子》译介的主流形式,有效地推动了《淮南子》在英语世界的研究与传播。英语世界中的《淮南子》选译活动经历了“《老子》注脚”与“主题研译”两个阶段,显示出清晰的发展脉络以及“研译一体”的基本特征,反映了不同历史条件下英语世界对中国古代思想文化的基本态度与认知水平。对选译本的研究不仅可以挖掘《淮南子》典籍的多维价值及当代意义,也有利于揭示汉学翻译与汉学研究间的互动关系,为国内的古代典籍外译活动提供参考借鉴。

Written in early Western Han Dynasty,Huainanzi is a masterpiece which synthesizes the ancient thoughts during the pre-qin period.It is also the last work with comprehensive characteristics before Confucianism taken as the official ideology in the Han Dynasty.It is of great value for the study of ancient Chinese thoughts,culture,and history.The translation and introduction of Huainanzi in the English world began in the 1880s with a history of more than 140 years.During this period,selected translation has been the main form of translation of Huainanzi,which effectively promoted the research and influence of Huainanzi in the English world.The selected translation of Huainanzi has gone through two stages,“footnotes of Laozi”and“thematic translation and introduction”,indicating a clear developing trend and the characteristic of translation-cum-research,reflecting the basic attitude and cognitive level of the English world towards ancient Chinese ideology and culture under different historical conditions.The study of selected translation activity can not only demonstrate the multi-dimensional value and modern significance of Huainanzi,but also reveal the interaction between translation and research in the field of Sinology,and provide references for our domestic translation activity of ancient Chinese classics.