'Have no twisty thoughts': Ezra Pound's translation of the 'Shih Ching'

The present study discusses Ezra Pound's methods of translation in his Classic Anthology by focusing on the ways in which the translations of the three hundred or so Confucian Odes reflect the translator's own aesthetics, epistemology, and cultural theory. As Pound's discussions of translation and his own practice in translation indicate, Pound believes that literary translation is not simply a reproduction of the original, but an interpretation and criticism of the original and that the mission of the translator is to reconstruct literary tradition and to bring about changes in the contemporary literary scene. According to Pound, this function of literary translation is generally fulfilled by the introduction of new modes of expression. Such a new conception of literary translation is reflected in some of the unique aspects of Pound's Classic Anthology.; Three distinctive characteristics of the Classic Anthology can be recognized. First, Pound uses diction and metric forms in his translation that echo literary works of the West and create a body of poetry that allows the reader, while reading the ancient Chinese Odes, to reflect on the Western literary tradition. Second, he deliberately concentrates on certain characters in the original and presents them in the translation in a way that the reader is able to perceive the original linguistic particularities. Third, Pound quite ingeniously incorporates many formal and musical qualities of the original into his translation in order to allow the reader to have a feel of the unique beauty of the Odes. The preservation of certain features of the original reflects Pound's own view as to what constitutes good poetry.; The Classic Anthology also reflects Pound's acceptance of Confucianism which sees a close link between one's expression and one's moral character, between good poetry and cultural revival. The translation of the Odes can be seen as part of Pound's persistent endeavor to promote his "New Learning" and to create a new "Paideuma."...