A Multidimensional Study On The Chinese Translation Of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan

The novel Peter Pan or Peter and Wendy published in 1911 is the most successful work written by Scottish dramatist and novelist J. M. Barrie. After translation, adaptation and rewriting for about a hundred years, "Peter Pan" has become a worldwide cultural icon in various artistic forms such as theatre, musical, fiction, comic, sculpture, movie, cartoon, TV and radio program, documentary, etc.The first Chinese version of the fiction was published in 1929. So far, there have only been three articles focusing directly on the fiction's Chinese translation, all dedicated to the criticism of certain translated versions, but the Chinese translation of Peter Pan as a whole has not been studied comprehensively and systematically yet. How many Chinese versions are there? Which versions are more important? How has the Chinese translation of the fiction evolved? This research aims to answer these questions.Firstly, researches about the fiction and its translation both at home and abroad are under close examination. Generally speaking, the original has been received quite differently and it has met both acclamation and denunciation; researches in China are comparatively inadequate and limited though not without ingenuity and contribution, while those in the west are flawed by subjectivity and one-sidedness though large in volume and rich in method. This paper, inspired by the "panoramic" view of "multidimensional literary translation criticism" proposed by Dr. Yu Lianjiang, reevaluates the artistry and significance of the original after investigating the time setting, the author's life and the literary techniques. The investigation makes efforts to reevaluate the original properly and to make preparation for the study on the Chinese translation of Peter Pan.Secondly, an investigation is made on all kinds of Peter-Pan-related books published in China over the past eighty years. According to Pym's "working definitions" and Genette's "paratexts", translations are distinguished from nontranslations, and thirty two Chinese versions of the fiction are finally identified. Then judging by the authoritativeness of translators and the publication and circulation of these versions, the versions by Liang Shiqiu, Yang Jingyuan and Zhu Bingzhong are picked out as primary ones for analysis, with the aim to reflect the overall development of the Chinese translation of Peter Pan and the main features of the translation in different historical periods.Lastly, the three versions are analyzed and compared within the theoretical framework of the "multidimensional literary translation criticism" proposed by Dr. Yu Lianjiang, who believes that literary translation criticism should be made simultaneously on macro, intermediate and micro dimensions. Elements on macro dimension such as ideology and culture manipulate translation; elements of translator on intermediate dimension are under the influence of macro elements such as ideology and culture on the one hand and make decisions in the process of translation on the other hand, namely, the translator decides how much of the original text will be reserved; micro dimension serves as the messenger and assistant for the exchange of information between the translator on intermediate dimension and ideology and culture on macro dimension. The three dimensions interact with each other, permeate each other and testify each other to form a dynamic reference system which is interactive, complementary and open. Providing necessary and objective conditions, the system makes it possible to understand translation comprehensively and makes it easier to evaluate the function of different versions in the process of cross-cultural communication.As a result, the investigation finds that the version by Liang Shiqiu is more faithful than fluent; the one by Yang Jingyuan more expressive than faithful; the one by Zhu Bingzhong faithful and domesticated at the same time; the Chinese translation of Peter Pan has evolved from conservatism in 1920s and expressiveness in 1980s to domestication in the first decade of this century.