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Year

1931

Text

Lu, Xun. A reply to Qu Qiubai [ID D38988].
My dear Comrade
I was very pleased to read your letter on translation. Since the appearance of a flood of translations last year, many people have raised their eyebrows, sighed, and even made sarcastic remarks. As one who translates from time to time, I should have made some comments, though I haven't so far…
Take, for an example, Old Master Zhao Jingsheng. On the one hand, he criticizes the translations of treatises written from a scientific perspective, saying that it is ludicrous for authors to be forced to remain anonymous. On the other, he proclaims that the common folk will probably not understand such translations…
First we need to decide what sort of readers among the common folk we are translating for. There are roughly three types : 1) the well-educated ; 2) the semi-literature ; and 3) the illiterates. The third group actually cannot be classified as 'readers', and it is the task of paintings, public lectures, drama, and movies to enlighten them. But the same books should not be given to the first two categories of readers, each of which should be provided with reading material appropriate for them. Even for the second group, we cannot give them translations. Adaptations are good enough, but creative works are still the best…
Why not Sinicize our translations entirely, and save our readers trouble ? Can an incomprehensible translation be called a translation at all ? My answer is : It is still a translation because it introduces not only new content but also new means of expression… Even in translating works for the second group of leaders, I think we should introduce new expressions and new syntax from time to time… Roughly speaking, our written language cannot yet be infused with the crude dialect of the different regions in China, and it should either be a special vernacular language, or the dialect of one special region…

Mentioned People (2)

Lu, Xun  (Shaoxing, Zhejigan 1881-1936 Shanghai) : Schriftsteller, Dichter, Übersetzer
Übersetzungen japanischer Autoren siehe Findeisen, Raoul.D. Lu Xun (1881-1936).

Qu, Qiubai  (Changzhou, Jiangsu 1899-1935 Changting, Fujian) : Schriftsteller, Politiker, Führer der kommunistischen Partei

Subjects

Translation : History and Theory / Translator

Documents (1)

# Year Bibliographical Data Type / Abbreviation Linked Data
1 2004 Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (Benjamins translation library ; vol. 51).
Table of contents :
PART I
1. The traditional approach: Impressionistic theories 3
2. "Modern" theories of the 1920s and 30s 15
3. Theories from a postcolonial perspective 29
4. End of the century: The impact of "new theories" 43
References for Chapters 1-4 6o
PART II
A. Responses to Yan Fu 67
1. Yan Fu: "Preface to Tianyanlun (Evolution and ethics)" (1901)
Tr. C. Y. Hsu 69
2. Zheng Zhenduo: "How to translate literary texts" (1921)
Tr. Leo Chan 72
3. Bian Zhilin: "Literary translation and sensitivity to language" (1983)
Tr. Gilbert Fong 74
4. Ye Weilian: "Debunking claims of Xin, Da and Ya" (1994)
Tr. Ye Weilian 77
Notes to Articles 1-4 89
B. Spiritual resonance 91
5. Chen Xiying: "On translation" (1929)
Tr. Chapman Chen 93
6. Zeng Xubai: "Spirit and fluency in translation" (1929)
Tr. Chapman Chen 98
7. Fu Lei: "Preface to the retranslation of Pere Goriot" (1951)
Tr. May Wong 102
8. Qian Zhongshu: "The translations of Lin Shu" (1963)
Tr. George Kao 104
Notes to Articles 5-8 115
C. Art vs. science 121
9. Zhu Guangqian: "On translation" (1944)
Tr. Leo Chan 123
10. Fu Lei: "Fragments of my translation experience" (1957)
Tr. Leo Chan 126
11. Huang Xuanfan: "Review of Si Guo's Studies of Translation" (1974)
Tr. Matthew Leung 129
12. Huang Xuanfan: "Translation and linguistic knowledge" (1974)
Tr. Matthew Leung 134
13. Jin Di: "The debate of art vs. science" (1987)
Tr. Priscilla Yip 141
Notes to Articles 9-13 147
D. The language of translation 151
14. Qu Qiubai: "On translation - A letter to Lu Xun" (1931)
Tr. Yau Wai Ping 153
15. Lu Xun: "A reply to Qu Qiubai" (1931)
Tr. Leo Chan 158
16. Qu Qiubai: "Again on translation - A reply to Lu Xun" (1932)
Tr. Yau Wai Ping 162
17. Fu Lei: "Letter to Lin Yiliang on translation" (1951)
Tr. Sara Ho 168
18. Yu Guangzhong: "Translation and creative writing" (1969)
Tr. Leo Chan 173
Notes to Articles 14-18 175
E. Literal translation vs. sense-translation 179
19. Liang Shiqiu: "On Mr. Lu Xun's 'Stiff translation"' (1929)
Tr. Evangeline Almberg 181
20. Lu Xun: "'Stiff translation' and the class nature of literature" (1930)
Tr. Leo Chan 184
21. Ye Gongchao, "On translation and language reform" (1931)
Tr. Rachel Lung 188
22. Mao Dun: "Literal translation, smooth translation, and distorted
translation" (1934)
Tr. Leo Chan 192
23. Ai Siqi: "On translation" (1937)
Tr. John Lai 195
Notes to Articles 19-23 198
F. The untranslatability of poetry 201
24. Mao Dun: "Some thoughts on translating poetry" (1922)
Tr. Brian Holton 203
25. Cheng Fangwu: "On translating poetry" (1923)
Tr. May Wong 208
26. Bian Zhilin: "Translation and its positive/negative impact on
modern Chinese poetry" (1987)
Tr. Kellj Chan 211
27. Gu Zhengkun: "On multiple complementary norms and the
translation of poetry" (1990)
Tr. Julie Chiu 214
Notes to Articles 24-27 220
G. Translation theory for China 223
28. Dong Qiusi: "On building our translation theories" (1951)
Tr. Tan Zaixi 225
29. Luo Xinzhang: "Chinese translation theory, a system of its
own" (1984)
Tr. Tan Zaixi 230
30. Liu Miqing: "The basic paradigm of Chinese translation
theory" (1990)
Tr. Han Yang 236
31. Sun Zhili: "Some thoughts on building our nation's translation
theory" (1998)
Tr. Han Yang 240
32. Lin Zhang: "On theories in translation studies" (1998)
Tr. Leo Chan 244
Notes to Articles 28-32 246
H. Creativity and translation 249
33. Zheng Zhenduo: "Virgins and matchmakers" (1921)
Tr. Rachel Lung 251
34. Guo Moruo: "Letter to Zheng Zhenduo" (1921)
Tr. Rachel Lung 252
35. Mao Dun: "The 'matchmaker' and the 'virgin"' (1934)
Tr. Laurence Wong 254
36. Fang Ping: "Miscellaneous thoughts on translation" (1995)
Tr. Orlando Ho 257
37. Xu Yuanchong: "Verbal translation and literary translation" (1995)
Tr. Orlando Ho 261
38. Xu Jun and Yuan Xiaoyi: "For the sake of our common cause" (1995)
Tr. Orlando Ho 264
Notes to Articles 33-38 268
Index 271 S. 158-160. 		Publication / ChanL1
  • Source: Zheng, Zhenduo. How to translate literary texts.
    In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (ZheZ6, Publication)
  • Source: Zheng, Zhenduo. Virgins and matchmakers.
    In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (ZheZ7, Publication)
  • Source: Guo, Moruo. Letter to Zheng Zhenduo.
    In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (GuoM16, Publication)
  • Source: Mao, Dun. Some thoughts on translating poetry.
    In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (MaoD31, Publication)
  • Source: Cheng, Fangwu. On translating poetry.
    In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (ChenF1, Publication)
  • Source: Qu Qiubai. On translation : a letter to Lu Xun.
    In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (QuQ11, Publication)
  • Source: Lu, Xun. A reply to Qu Qiubai. (1931). In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (LuX217, Publication)
  • Source: Qu, Qiubai. Again on translation : a reply to Lu Xun.
    In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (QuQ12, Publication)
  • Source: Mao, Dun. Literal translation, smooth translation, and distorted translation.
    In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (MaoD30, Publication)
  • Source: Mao, Dun. The 'matchmaker' and the 'virgin'.
    In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (MaoD32, Publication)
  • Source: Ai, Siqi. On translation.
    In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (AiS1, Publication)
  • Source: Zhu, Guangqian. On translation.
    In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (ZhuG16, Publication)
  • Source: Fu, Lei. Fragments of my translation experience.
    In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (FuL1, Publication)
  • Source: Bian, Zhilin. Translation and its positive/negative impact on modern Chinese poetry.
    In : Chan, Leo Tak-hung. Twentieth-century Chinese translation theory : modes, issues and debates. (Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 2004). (BiaZ2, Publication)
  • Cited by: Asien-Orient-Institut Universität Zürich (AOI, Organisation)