A Study On Translation And Communication Of Bronze And Sunflower From The Perspective Of Medio-Translatology

Children’s literature has received more and more attention with the change of views on children.At the same time,a lot of researchers are paying attention to study on translating foreign books into Chinese and ignore the spread of wonderful Chinese children’s books to overseas readers.Based upon Medio-translatology,proposed by Prof.Xie Tianzhen,the thesis studies six aspects of the translation of Cao Wenxuan’s Bronze and Sunflower:the analysis of the publisher,the content,the translator,the media,the reader and the effect.Bronze and Sunflwer is written by Cao Wenxuan,a famous writer specializing in children’s literature in China.Wenxuan holds a professorship in Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature from Peking University.He criticizes the prevailing hedonism in the hope of helping children adopt better attitudes towards hardships.This book beautifully describes the normality of hardships and the language is suited towards children.It is a kind of children innocence that is filled with bitterness.In 2015,an English version translated by Helen Wang,a Chinese-British sinologist from the British Museum,was published in the UK.Cao won the 2016 Hans Christian Andersen Award and Helen Wang also won the 2017 Marsh Award for Children’s Literature in Translation for her wonderful translation of Bronze and Sunflower.This thesis will use the translation model(translator,text,reader,media and effect)to interpret and assess the quality of Bronze and Sunflower.In addition to this translation framework,the thesis also examines the role of publisher in Bronze and Sunflower.In comparing publishers of this novel with Cao Wenxuan’s previous literary works,the continuous promotion by Walker Books is a major factor that Bronze and Sunflower can draw overseas attention.In terms of the text analysis,the original book reveals its beautiful language,moving story and strong domestic impact.These textual elements constitute the main reasons why the translation of Bronze and Sunflower was published abroad.The thesis then explores the intertextual factors that contribute to the popularity of Bronze and Sunflower in the West,such as Chinese proverbs,children’s songs and culturally loaded words.Next,the translator analysis attributes the success of the translation to Helen Wang’s Chinese sinologist background and female identity,as well as her familiarity with Chinese source language culture.With regard to the media,the thesis points out that overseas publishing houses,online bookshops,literary agents and book fair are the novel’s main channels of transmission.Then it defines the types of readers.Lastly,an analysis of awards received,global library circulation and professional book reviews are used to emphasize the effect.This study systematically provides an overall picture for the translation,publication,transmission,and reception of Bronze and Sunflower.It enriches the studies of Cao Wenxuan and his translated works,and provides foundation for the further study of his works using this translation model.