A Holistic Approach To Principles In Translating Chinese Classics Into English

Based on a detailed summary of the translations of Chinese classics into English, both in theory and practice, both in the past and at present, the author of this dissertation makes this research, with the English translations of Zhuangzi as the case study. In the light of the holistic principles, the dissertation analyzes the translators'principles as a round whole and their central orientations, whether of fidelity, readability or creativity.The first chapter includes a discussion of the status quo of the translations of Chinese classics into English, in which there are both opportunity and challenge. It also defines some key terms and gives a general introduction to the present research.The second chapter makes a general historicial outline of the translations of Chinese classics into English, with focus on the chief translators and their works. It also attempts a division in the scope and periods in the history of such translations and points out their four historical properties.The author then proceeds to give, in the third chapter, a full summary of the translators'principles put forward and followed in translation practice, at home and abroad, with the historical outline of the translations of western classics into English and their translating principles, chiefly in Britain and America, as cross reference for the holistic research of principles in translations of Chinese classics into English.In the fourth chapter, the author firstly proves that such study about translating principles from the holistic perspective is significant and worthwhile. Then a fivefold contention is made that the holistic approach to principles in translation of Chinese classics into English is fresh and characteristic. This chapter chooses to analyze the translating principles as a round whole from a perspective, dynamic, correlative, and holistic. With the terms of"Tao"as a holistic round whole in Chinese traditional philosophy, the dissertation discusses about translation and translation theory, holding that the Tao of translation means the holistic whole of both translation and translation theory. The Tao of translation is the very translation proper, a holistic continuum whole, combined with three main elements, namely, translation, translating and translations, which have a dynamic and correlative relationship with one another. It goes on to examine the purpose and translating principles in translation of Chinese classics into English, holding that the textual purpose of the classics'translation makes the proper task for their translators. The translators'self-disciplines make their translating principles.In induction, the author suggests, a theoretical framework– a holistic approach to translating principles, holding that the translators'principles have a central orientation of the three chief elements, either fidelity, readability or creativity. According to the approach, the Tao of the translating principles is a unique One, an abstract Whole, made up of multiple principles, which is the ideal and goal for individual translators'principles. Meanwhile, each one of the translators'principles is also a round whole, a minor one, made up of the three chief elements– fidelity, readability and creativity, which have an everlastingly dynamic and correlative relationship with one another. The totality of the translators'principles will come near or amount to the Tao of the translating principles.The fifth chapter is the case study and factual justification of the holistic approach. In order to make a better analysis of the central orientation of translating principles as a whole in the English translations of the classic Zhuangzi, the author has to make a full summary of the history of the classic's English versions and their relevant research findings. Four typical versions– those by James Legge, Wang Rongpei, A. C. Graham and Thomas Merton– the latter two of which are selective ones– are under discussion. The research demonstrates in quite a few ways that each translator of the four versions has a central orientation in his translating principle, holding that Legge has fidelity as his central orientation, Wang Rongpei has readability as his central orientation, and both Graham and Merton have creativity as their central orientation.A combination of research methodologies, traditional and modern, at home and abroad, is attempted in making use of both theoretical description and case study in the holistic approach to translators'principles, their self-disciplines, as a round whole. Therefore, the dissertation proves to be a theoretical argument, chiefly qualitative and philosophical, in nature. In other words, it is a qualitative research of the translators'principles from a holistic perspective, with the source language as its starting point, the source text its base, and the translator its center. The case study shows that the holistic approach is solid and effective and, thus, can be applicable to better describe, analyze and explain translators'principles and translation phenomena in the present field and other fields as well.