The History Of The Propagation Of Classical Chinese Poetry In Russia

Compared with the study of Chinese history, philosophy and language, the study of Chinese literature including classical Chinese poetry in Russia is obviously falling behind. Chinese literature has been familiar to Russian along with the wave of China-crazy in18th century. Russian regards the translation of Chinese literary works as a key to explore Chinese spiritual world after their understanding of Chinese material culture. Russian sinologists, represented by V.M. Alekseev, made remarkable achievement in Russian sinology and established its unique position in the world. This dissertation is to analysis the translation art and research findings of Chinese classical poetry in Russia and comprehensive summary of Chinese classical poetry translation development in Russia.Taken Russian translation works of classical Chinese poetry and related research works as basic literature and on the basis of study of text, we systematically examined history of translation about classical Chinese poetry and its research productions in more than150year’s Russia history by adopting methods of academic review and made use of related translation theory.We pointed out that the classical Chinese poetry in Russia is mainly and systematically researched in such fields as poetry of Pre-Qin, six Dynasties, the Tang Dynasty, the Song Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty and the important translation of the classical Chinese poetics, research works, translators and students. We summarized Russian sinology’s achievement and deficiency in this field during period of Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and Russia.Generally speaking we summarized characteristics of the classical Chinese poetry’ translation and research in Russia. We demonstrated that Russian sinologists ’translation and research attach great importance to translation, focus on exploring translation principles, pay more attention to the combination of translation, research and annotation, emphasize creation of literary terms and adopt cooperative mode between sinologist and poet. In the course of investigating translation works about the classical Chinese poetry of Russian sinologists mainly adopting the theory of "Translation random index" raised by Russian theorist and academician M.L.Gasparov and theory of the classical Chinese poetry, we are focus on translation principles among different translators to summarize the translation characteristics of the classical Chinese poetry in Russia by compared horizontally with the works of the sinologists. Russian sinologists made perennial experiment and exploration on translation of the classical Chinese poetry, especially pay more attention on poetry elements such as feet, rhythm and repetition. This dissertaion analysed the translation principles in particular from the earliest translators Ju.K. Shcki, V.M. Alekseev, L.Z. Eidlin, V. F.Salatko-Petrishe, L.N. Menshikov to S.A.Toropcev、I.S. Smimov、O.M. Gorodeckaia、N.M.Azorova in the new period, who published books or voiced their own view of point. V.M. Alekxseev and Ju.K. Shcki hold on that feet should be translated, but sometimes it can be abandoned for the reason of rhythm; L.Z.Eidlin advocated giving up feet from the beginning to the end. I.S. Smirnov’s feet translating of the Chinese poetry has gone through three stages, which are rhythm, partial tone and not rhythm; L.N. Menshikov, V. F.Salatko-Petrishe, O M Gorodeckaia, N M Azorova, etc. hold on that feet is necessary for the Chinese poetry translation, but the last four translators don’t advocate to increasing lines of poetry. But all, without exception, paid a great attention on the recreation of rhythm. New-period Russia has inherited and developed V.M.Alekxseev’s theory about the researching of classical Chinese poetry. I.S. Smirnov emphasized to look for the best method of translating; S.A.Toropcev concentrated on translating the form beauty of Chinese poetry; O M Gorodeckaia emphasized the interior feet of poetry lines; N M Azorova specially advocated translating the language beauty of Chinese classical poetry. Different translating theories and methods made the diverse Russian versions of Chinese classical poetry.This paper has made a closer investigation on the Russian sinologists’works about the researching of Chinese classical poetry. Through the longitudinal comparison of researching aiming at same problem between Russian scholars and Chinese scholars, it obviously demonstrated the pioneering contribution of Russian sinologists in terms of researching angles and methods. V.M. Alekseev regarded Chinese literature as an organic part of world literature and offered a key to the comprehensive cultural research of classical Chinese poetry, based on the philology method, which was inherited and developed by his students and posterity. L.Z. Eidlin’s research on Tao Yuanming, L.E. Cherkasskii’s research on Cao Zhi, E.A. Serebriakov’s research on Song poetry, GB. Dagdanov’s research on Bai Juyi and Wang Wei and etc., all sought the artistic characteristics of Chinese classical poetry and meanwhile deep explored its value of history, religion, and philosophy it contains. And new-period Russian sinologists further developed this research tradition, and made the cultural researching method become a new trend of classical Chinese poetry research in Russia.Russian scholars’research not only promotes the development of Russian sinology but also offers great enlightenment for classical Chinese literature researching.