A Study On Yang Hsien-yi And Chinese Literature From The Perspective Of Rewriting Theory

The present thesis chooses Yang Hsien-yi(杨宪益)and Chinese Literature (English version) as research objectives, putting them under specific social background and taking source-oriented factors such as poetics, patronage and ideology into consideration since translating project like Chinese Literature involves not only linguistic transference from original language to target language but also cultural communication.Chinese Literature was the only official magazine introducing Chinese literary works to foreign countries. Since its debut, it had been under the leadership of Foreign Language Press---one of the institutions of Chinese national government.As one of the outstanding literary translators, Yang Hsien-yi worked for this government manipulated institute for nearly half a century. From 1976 to 1987, he was executive editor, executive chief editor, associate editor, chief editor and advisor respectively. Yang's identity has shifted from translator, professionals to patronage in the long translation period working for Chinese Literature. Lefevere considers translators, critics, reviewers and teachers as professionals that manipulate inside the literary system. Yang was the very kind of translator who rewrite works of literature until they were in line with poetics and the dominant social ideology of source culture.The author divides Yang's long cooperation with Chinese Literature into three periods and tries to give a comparatively comprehensive analysis of how source culture elements influence Yang and Chinese Literature with the Rewriting theory as theoretical basis.The first span is set from 1951 to 1966 since the year 1951 marked the first issue of Chinese Literature while the year 1966 witnessed the beginning of a far-reaching event in China's history-The Cultural Revolution. In this period more than one ideology coexisted though the dominant were Marxism, Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought. International situation was quite severe and the diplomatic policy of "Leaning to one side" was set.Chinese Literature was influenced by the "left-lean" ideology and poetics of 1950s and 1960s as well its real patron---the national government. Since its debut Chinese Literature shoulders the political task of gaining understanding and assistance from other countries so as to improve our country's international image and serve domestic construction. Yang's translation in this period has two characteristics:First, his choice of translation materials was strictly limited by higher authorities despite of the fact that he had struggled hard in order to translate works to his taste. Second is great-leap-forward translation, which was the result of the dominant social ideology.The second time span is set from 1966 to 1976 since this was a special period of unprecedented cultural stagnation. Translation serves a very obvious political purpose. Dominant poetics of the CRP has been affiliated with communism and class struggle. Chairman Mao's policy of art and literature is the guideline and orthodox doctrine of the country. Yang's bourgeois background together with Gladys Yang's special identity as an English made Yang not trusted by the Communist Party which lead to Yang's enjoying little freedom on the selection of texts. Yang Hsien-yi chose to translate his favorite Chinese classics and his favorite writer Lu Xun (鲁迅)in this special period. However, this was also in line with the dominant ideology and poetics of the times. The same was true to Chinese Literature. The ten years of chaos had caused havoc in China's literary circle and Chinese Literature was not the exception. Chinese Literature continued to come out, but this was all that can be said of that period.The third time span is set from 1976 to 1989 since the year 1976 witnessed the political overthrow of the "Gang of Four" which brought a new lease of life to literature and art. At the beginning of the new period the influence of the extreme "leftist" ideology of CRP still existed. However, things had changed rapidly, translations were no longer limited to socialist works and translated literary works didn't need to serve the dominant ideology. Furthermore, whether a literary work can be translated and how it would be evaluated didn't depend on the former criterion of whether it was progressive or revolutionary.The last period was another golden age of Yang Hsien-yi during which he had completed many works and reprinted many former works. He was promoted to the position of executive chief editor of Chinese Literature in 1979, the next year chief editor after Mao Dun passed away. As the chief editor of Chinese Literature, Yang Hsien-yi had made profound reforms on the magazine. Yang Hsien-yi served as a professional and patronage to Chinese Literature and the series of Panda Books. It was Yang Hsien-yi who advised to publish Panda Book Series in English to introduce Chinese writings. As a whole, he made great contributions to the book series when he was in charge of Panda Books. A large number of Chinese classics and contemporary works were introduced to foreign readers of more than 150 countries and some of them were reprinted for many times.From all the above analysis the author draws the following conclusions:First, as an official journal, Chinese Literature was to a large extent affected by source culture elements such as dominant ideology of the society, patronage of the government and individual professional and patron like Yang Hsien-yi. Second, it is very important to realize that translation projects like Chinese Literature and Panda Books involve not only linguistic transference but also cultural communication. Though foreign publicities like Chinese Literature and Panda Books were affected by source culture elements, our attention must also be paid to the target culture. Third, a large number of translators represented by Yang Hsien-yi endeavored all his life into introducing Chinese culture to foreign countries. Translation activities never occur in a vacuum environment but happen in specific social background. Therefore, it is significant to analyze translation works in specific period.