A Study Of Xu Yuanchong’s Translation Of Chinese Poems From The Perspective Of Formal Language Of Painting

The aesthetic affinity between poetry and painting is widely recognized.The two art forms have interacted with and complemented each other.This has influenced literary criticism and inspired arts in different aspects.For instance,in the field of translation,some scholars make an analogy between painting and translation or explain translation activities from the perspective of painting.However,such studies are far from enough so it is necessary to carry out further study and explore the value of painting in translation practice and theory.Xu Yuanchong,one of the most outstanding translators in China,mentions that painting inspires his translation time and again and he also makes the most of painting theory to support his own translation theory.Xu has showed his insight into how the art of painting can contribute to poetry translation.This thesis,following the clues of Xu’ s statements and translation practices relative to painting,seeks to analyze the uses of painting elements and techniques in Xu’ s poetry translation so as to appreciate Xu’ s translations more comprehensively based on formal language of painting.Formal language of painting is the way painting communicates with the viewers.As painting is a visual art,its unique way to express painters’ emotions and deliver meaning depends on formal language of painting,which demonstrates itself as painting elements and techniques.When these elements and techniques are applied to poetry creation and translation,they will be signified by words but they still can have similar visual consequence and artistic effect as in painting.This thesis draws the following conclusions:(1)the effects of using lines,colors,focus perspective and spatial organization in Xu’ poetry translations include:producing visual effect,conveying meanings in full flavor and creating beauty of painting to enrich beauty in sense.In this way,Xu offers his readers an easier accessto what the original poets intend to convey,help target readers enter the picturesque scenes and breathe poets’ inspired breath at the moment they wrote those poems.(2)The art of painting influences Xu’ s choices of diction,expression and lines arrangement in translating including precise and flexible diction of verbs;abundant color terms and lines adjustment.(3)Introducing this perspective into poetry translation can manifest the value of the art of painting because it can help achieve aesthetic equivalence between the original and the translation;enrich the perspectives for poetry translation studies and innovate new methods of poetry translation.