A Study On The English Translation Of Wang Wei’s Poems From The Perspective Of Painting Formal Language

The interaction between painting and poetry has been discussed for centuries across the world.Many scholars have proposed that painting and poetry are analogous in nature and that the two can complement each other by borrowing different ways of expression from each other.Painting is a kind of visual art,and its unique way of conveying meaning and emotions depends on Painting Formal Language,which manifests itself as specific painting elements and techniques.Painters use these visual elements and techniques,like dots,lines,and composition to convey their inner feelings and understanding of the world so as to communicate with the viewers.When used in poetry and signified by words,these painting elements and techniques can have their own artistic effect and aesthetic value as in paintings.Wang Wei,who had established himself as a poet as well as a painter,is known for the artistic feature “Painting-in-Poetry” of his poems.One major reason for this feature is that he has blended painting elements and techniques into his poetry creation.Based on Painting Formal Language,the painting elements and techniques found in Wang Wei’s poems include colors,lines,planes,blank-leaving and cavalier perspective.They not only help to express the poet’s inner feelings and emotions,but also work on readers’ sensory organs and remind them of similar visual experience.As a result,aesthetic equivalence between the original and the English version can be possible.In order to reproduce the artistic feature “Painting-in-Poetry” of Wang Wei’poems,the translators should try to reproduce the painting elements and techniques as well as the artistic effect and aesthetic value brought by them.By creating vivid images and provoking the readers’ imagination,the English translations of Wang Wei’s poems may to some extent help the readers of the English versions get similarvisual enjoyment and appreciate the unique ideorealm just like the readers of the original.Conducted from the perspective of Painting Formal Language and with descriptive research methods to compare and analyze different English versions of Wang Wei’s poems,this thesis draws the following conclusions: 1)Effective translation methods are juxtaposition of images,omission of personal subject and ambiguity of logic.On the one hand,these methods can help to signify and construct painting elements and techniques by words,and to retain their artistic effect;on the other,there are painting theoretical and poetic basis behind these methods about why they can enhance the artistic feature of “Painting-in-Poetry” and the visual effect of the poems.2)The introduction of Painting Formal Language into poetry translation studies is valuable because it can provide a new perspective for poetry translation studies,achieve the aesthetic equivalence between the original and the translation and innovate ways of expression in translation.