Eco-translatological Study Of Ku Hung-ming’s And James Legge’s Translation Of LunYu

Translation is an activity since the ancient time. Various schools of translation theory have accumulated abundant theoretical knowledge. In1972, James S. Holmes published his thesis named The Name and Nature of Translation Studies with epoch-making meaning. Increasing number of translators advocate transaltion studies as an independent subject. Since then translation studies tend to be multiple. Scholars shift their attention from traditional semantics, linguistics models to the cultural studies, and empirical and presciptive perspective to experimental and descrptive perspective. Eco-translatology could boast its inclusiveness of the turning of elements including the culture since it could not only conduct analysis and study on the translating process from the perspective of ecology but also realize the dynamic multi-dimensional investigation and integration on the translated text based on what kind of ecological environment the translator was situated in. In the meanwhile, not a single research or requirement from cultural turn on translator’s subjectivity or the value of translation does not reveal a strong ecological sense, so it is reasonable to cover eco-translatology into the large subject of cultural turn. Eco-translatology, a translation theory proposed by the domestic scholar Hu Geng-shen, is based upon Darwin’s principles of natural selection and evolution. Eco-translatology emphasizes the interaction between translators and translational eco-environment. It focuses on the translators, and proposes translator-centeredness. Moreover, it takes all the relevant factors, including the source text, readers, client, and translators’ background etc, into account. It is a comprehensive study about the translator and eco-environment and it describes the essence of translation, translation process, methods of translating etc. from a new perspective.Lunyu, one of Chinese traditional classics, represents the essence of Confucianism. It records the discourses and deeds of Confucius and his disciples, which has a great effect on Chinese education, politics, society and morality. Furthermore, it is a vital component of Chinese culture. Therefore, it plays a vital role in exchanging the Chinese and Western culture. Numbers of scholars and sinologists translated Lunyu, for the purpose of spreading Chinese culture or helping their missionary. About40English translation versions appeared, among which the most influential two are:The Discourses and Sayings of Confucius translated by Ku Hung-ming who is a Chinese culture scholar educated in western countries and The Analects translated by James Legge who is a British sinologist and missionary.This thesis applies the Eco-translatology proposed by the domestic scholar Hu Geng-shen to compare Ku Hung-ming’s translation version and Legge’s version. Through the analysis and comparison of the life experience and academic background, sinology capability and bilingual competence as well as the translation purposes etc., this paper attempts to analyze the different translation strategies by the translators, and propose some suggestions in translation.