Study On English Translation Of The Implicit Subject In Du Fu’s Poems Under Figure-Ground Theory

Chinese ancient poetry,a splendid treasure of Chinese culture,is quite an essential way to present Chinese spirits.The Tang Dynasty is considered as the zenith of ancient Chinese poetic development.As one of the great masters of Tang poetry,Du Fu has been researched by a large number of scholars who have conducted extensive studies on his poems.Chinese classical literature owes its “longevity” to the nature of Chinese characters which demonstrates the resilience and tenacity of the Chinese.Thus,the critical study of Tang poetry is a mission assigned to us by the times.The author finds that further refinement and improvement are required in the study of Du Fu’s poems.Therefore,based on Figure-Ground Theory and combining the themes and backgrounds of Du Fu’s poems,this thesis has done intensive research on implicit subjects in Du Fu’s poems and their English version with the goal of worldwide exposure.In this thesis,37 poems of Du Fu from the Three Hundred Poems of the Tang Dynasty(《唐诗三百首》)and Zeng Peici’s English version were selected as research subjects to examine the Figure-Ground Theory’s effective interpretative capability for the proper reappearance of the implicit subjects in Du Fu’s poems.This thesis will address the following questions.To begin with,how do we identify and classify the implicit subjects in Du Fu’s poems?Secondly,how do we accurately translate the implicit subjects in Du Fu’s poems based on the backgrounds and themes under Figure-Ground Theory?In addition,does the Figure-Ground Theory have a strong power to interpret the implicit subjects in Du Fu’s poems?The major findings of the paper are as follows: firstly,there are 118 examples of implicit subjects in 37 poems of Du Fu,and based on Figure-Ground Theory and their themes and backgrounds,all of the implicit subjects can be divided into two main categories: animate implicit subject and inanimate implicit subject.Among them,106 examples,accounting for90%,are classified as animate implicit subjects,which include the poet himself,the referent,the poet and the referent,and people in general,with percentages of 37%,38%,11%,and 4%respectively;while inanimate implicit subjects include location,belonging,and natural object,with percentages of 3%,4%,and 3% respectively.Secondly,according to the classification of implicit subjects above,two main strategies can be adopted in English translation under the guidance of Figure-Ground Theory,namely explicitation of the implicit subject and preservation of the implicit subject,in order to present themes and backgrounds more accurately as the author intends.Explicitation of implicit subject requires the explicit subjects to make a better reappearance of the objects that the author wishes to highlight and express in his poems;preservation of implicit subject requires the original figure to be transformed into the ground and highlight the original ground to better fit the themes of poems when translating.In addition,the Figure-Ground Theory has strong explanatory power for implicit subjects in Du Fu’s poems.By highlighting the figure in the ground or weakening the figure to highlight the ground,the mistranslation of personal pronouns and numbers may be resolved relatively easily,and readers can appreciate Du Fu’s poems more thoroughly and clearly.This thesis helps to provide a new perspective on the implicit subjects in ancient poems and broadens the scope of the research on the Figure-Ground Theory to some extent.Simultaneously,it promotes the dissemination of Du Fu’s poems by encouraging more readers to explore the values and treasures contained within them,so ultimately boosting the cultural exchange between China and the rest of the globe.