A Comparative Study Of The Two English Versions Of Poetry In Hong Lou Meng Based On The "3-Beauties" Theory

Hong Lou Meng, is one of the greatest ancient masterpieces in China. Readers can find different genres in the book such as Narrations, dialogues and poems can be found throughout the whole book. In addition Hong Lou Meng is the crystal of ancient Chinese poems. Meanwhile, a sense of poem has been embedded in the poems of the novel.The principles of "three beauties" are adopted in the analysis of the poems of the novel. The current research is around the two English versions of the novel. Theories of Nida (1993), Skinner (1992) and Susan Bassnett (1990) are respectively introduced. Domestic scholars Wang Rongpei (2009), Liu Miqing (1998) and other scholars' points of view are also covered. The two English versions of Hong Lou Meng are used as the source materials of the present research. The translators' opinions and their reflections in the translation process have also been also involved. In the study of translation, the visibility and subjective stance of the translator may influence the outcome of translation. The application of the principle of translation is also discussed in the thesis in the version of the translation by Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang and that by David Hawkes. The different social cultures and idealism also has influence on the translation. The two translators show different stances and emphasis in their translation. Though, a lot of research on Hong Lou Meng can be found, the study on the poem translation, however, remains rare in number. The current research aims to contribute to this respect.The author takes some regulated poems, lyric meters, dramatic lyrics, rhyme prose or expositions and allusions in Hong Lou Meng as the object of study and chooses two authoritative English versions:A Dream of Red Mansions translated by Yang Xianyi and The Story of the Stone translated by David Hawkes as comparative objects. Although many scholars study poem translation from different point of view, there are no sufficient studies from the view of the theory of "three beauties". On the framework of the theory of "three beauties", the author analyzes the translation on poetry in the novel, through the analysis, aesthetic effects of poetry and the feasibility of the theory of "three beauties" are proved again.The major findings of this research are presented as follows: 1. As to Xu Yuanchong's principles of "three beauties",it can be summarized that "beauty of senses" comes first, then "beauty of verses" follows. And the last is the "beauty of forms". These three factors are essential in the translation of poetry, forming a complementary, interdependent, and comprehensive entity. Meanwhile, the theory of three beauties is also the perfection and the highest standards which poetry translation should attain.2. By detailed analysis of the poetry under the guidance of "three beauties", the results show the feasibility of the principles of three beauties in poetry translation, which is also a solid evidence of the translatability of poetry.3. According to the detailed analysis of the examples of the two English translation versions, it can found the application of the principles of three beauties is effective and necessary.