《牡丹亭》白之译本生产过程的社会学考释

A Sociological Analysis on the Productive Process of The Peony Pavilion Translated by Cyril Birch

1980年,著名汉学家西利尔·白之所译英语世界中第一部《牡丹亭》全译本付梓。白译本字句酌、精益求精,基本成为原剧作在英美文化系统中的象征,历来是翻译研究的热点。在布迪厄的场域理论与拉图尔的行动者网络理论的关照下不难发现:宏观层面,后《国防教育法》时代的美国汉学场域促进了白之对《牡丹亭》的翻译;中观层面,译者在社会场域中厚积的文化、社会、经济与象征资本为《牡丹亭》译本的生产打下了坚实的基础,并且译者在人类与非人类等多元行动者的共同作用之下确定了译本合理的应然状态;微观层面,译者的个人惯习确保了精准的原文研读和高质量的译文产出。正是上述三重因素合力促成了《牡丹亭》白之译本在海外的顺利生产与接受。

Characterized by great elegance and profound affection,Tang Xianzu's The Peony Pavilion(《牡丹亭》;Mudan Ting)is a masterpiece in Chinese literary system.In 1980,the first full English translation of the work,translated by renowned sinologist Cyril Birch,was published.With its meticulous attention to details and serious pursuit to perfection,this translation has essentially become an original symbol of the work in the English-speaking world,and has also been a hot topic of translation studies.Under the guidance of Bourdieu's field theory and Latour's actor network theory,it was not difficult to find that,on the macro level,since the enactment of the National Defense Education Act,the American sinology field facilitated Birch's translation practice.On the meso-level,the cultural,social,economic,and symbolic capitals accumulated by the translator has laid a solid foundation for the production of the translation,and the multiple actors,both human and non-human,promoted Birch's reflection on the rational state of the translation.On the micro level,the translator's habitus ensured accurate study of the original text and high-quality translation output.These triple factors were accounted for the smooth production and acceptance of Birch's The Peony Pavilion.