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Building Bridges of Culture : Davis's Translation of The Fortunate Union
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This study examines John Francis Davis’s English translation of Haoqiu zhuan (The Fortunate Union), a classical Chinese novel from the cai zi jia ren (talented scholar and beautiful lady) genre, recognized as one of the earliest Chinese novels translated into English. Davis’s translation sought to bridge the cultural gap between China and the West during a period of escalating tensions in British-Chinese relations. By positioning himself as a cultural mediator, Davis aimed to provide clarity and accessibility while educating his readers about Chinese customs and values. The study analyzes Davis’s translation motivations and objectives, his use of paratexts such as prefaces and footnotes, and his translation strategies. Davis’s approach included significant cultural adjustment, often employing paraphrasing to enhance Western readers’ comprehension. He omitted certain Chinese idioms and customs that he deemed obscure or irrelevant to Western readers, and in some instances, restructured characters and scenes to meet Western expectations of a romantic narrative. However, this method resulted in a partial loss of the original text’s moral teachings and Confucian values. This paper also reviews the contemporary reception of The Fortunate Union, noting its positive appraisal as a more complete and faithful translation compared to earlier European renditions. This analysis highlights both the accomplishments and limitations of Davis’s cultural adaptations, reflecting the complexities and challenges of early Chinese-West literary translation.
Abstract
This study examines John Francis Davis’s English translation of Haoqiu zhuan (The Fortunate Union), a classical Chinese novel from the cai zi jia ren (talented scholar and beautiful lady) genre, recognized as one of the earliest Chinese novels translated into English. Davis’s translation sought to bridge the cultural gap between China and the West during a period of escalating tensions in British-Chinese relations. By positioning himself as a cultural mediator, Davis aimed to provide clarity and accessibility while educating his readers about Chinese customs and values. The study analyzes Davis’s translation motivations and objectives, his use of paratexts such as prefaces and footnotes, and his translation strategies. Davis’s approach included significant cultural adjustment, often employing paraphrasing to enhance Western readers’ comprehension. He omitted certain Chinese idioms and customs that he deemed obscure or irrelevant to Western readers, and in some instances, restructured characters and scenes to meet Western expectations of a romantic narrative. However, this method resulted in a partial loss of the original text’s moral teachings and Confucian values. This paper also reviews the contemporary reception of The Fortunate Union, noting its positive appraisal as a more complete and faithful translation compared to earlier European renditions. This analysis highlights both the accomplishments and limitations of Davis’s cultural adaptations, reflecting the complexities and challenges of early Chinese-West literary translation.
참고문헌 (10)
- 名敎中人, "好逑傳" (1994), 上海古籍出版社
- Anonymous, "Translations from the Original Chinese", Quarterly Review, ~ (1815)
- Anonymous, "Chinese Novels" (1822), John Murray
- Anonymous, "Review of John Davis's Fortunate Union", The Literary Gazette, 28 (1829)
- Anonymous, "The Lasting Resentment of Miss Keaou Lwan Wang, a Chinese Tale" (1839), Canton Press Office
- Gerard Genette, "Paratexts : thresholds of interpretation" (1997), Cambridge University Press
- James St. André, "Retranslation as Argument : Canon Formation, Professionalization, and International Rivalry in 19th Century Sinological Translation", Cadernos de Tradução, 11 (2003)
- John Francis Davis, "The Fortunate Union, A Chinese Romance, Translated from the Chinese Original vol.1-2" (1829), John Murray
- Philippe Postel, "Les traductions françaises du Haoqiu zhuan", Impressions d’Extrême-Orient, 2 (2011)
- Tulišen, "Narrative of the Chinese Embassy to the Khan of the Tourgouth Tartars" (1821), John Murray