从文学翻译回归文化传播——典籍外译的再定位

From Literary Translation back to Cultural Transmission:Re-Siting Translation of Chinese Classics to Other Cultures

在典籍外译中需要做一个从文学回归文化的正本清源工作。这里的“文学”指的是在典籍翻译中存在的一种“文学情结”:过于看重文学翻译,把所有典籍翻译都看作文学作品翻译,且相关的理论或争论也都围绕文学来进行。而中国传统的翻译均围绕文化传播进行,在19世纪末以前,文学几乎从未进入过译者的视野。以诗歌、小说、戏剧、散文四分为特征的现代文学概念是在20世纪成熟并风靡的。西式文学的根本性质不是“美”,而是“虚构性”。而中国文化的本质是实在性和实用性。实现从文学翻译向文化传播的回归,是一种脱虚向实的过程,这也是典籍翻译的真正目标。在回归过程中,要重新认识翻译,重新认识中国文化。

The translation of Chinese classics to the world needs now a re-siting from literary translation to cultural transmission.Literary translation here refers to a complex which lays too much emphasis on literature and regards every piece of translation of Chinese classics as literary translation,whereas all discussions or debates about translation are held around literature.Things were just the opposite when we turn our eyes back to days before the end of the 19th century.Nothing as literature has ever entered the sight of China translators.The modern concept of literature characterized by its four-part division of poetry,fiction,drama and essay was matured and widely accepted in the 20th century.The ultimate nature of Westernized literature was not that of beauty but that of fictivity.While the ultimate nature of Chinese culture lays in its factuality and practicality.The turnback from literary translation to cultural transmission is a shift from fictivity to factuality,which is the true value the translation of Chinese classics should be pursuing.A successful turnback requires a re-understanding of Chinese culture as well as the notion of translation.