A Study On Yu Kwang-chung As A Translator

In the long history of literature and literary translation in China, there have been a great number of scholars and translators. They have made indelible contribution to the development of Chinese literature and the spread of the Chinese culture. At the same time they have also offered numerous excellent literary works in foreign languages into Chinese. Thus, the Chinese readers are able to approach the outstanding literary works in foreign languages and appreciate the foreign cultures more conveniently. Yu Kwang-chung is one of the representative figures among them. As a prolific and highly versatile poet, prose writer, famous professor, and literary critic in contemporary China, Yu Kwang-chung ( , in China's mainland, the translation of Yu Guangzhong is adopted) is also a great translator at the same time. He has composed many poems and prose, written a number of research papers and criticism, offered us a lot of excellent translations. He is a master of both Chinese and English and the cultures of both the East and the West. The impact of both the cultures is reflected in his writings and translations as well. The thesis attempts to conduct an intensive and systematic study on Yu Kwang-chung as a translator, from the aspects of his theoretical thoughts on translation, translation practice, translation criticism, and the contribution he has made to thecultural communication between the East and the West. The thesis is divided into five chapters besides introduction and conclusion.The introduction briefs the theme and structure of the thesis.Chapter One offers a general account of Yu Kwang-chung's life experience, education and his status in the fields of literature and translation both at home and abroad.Chapter Two makes a systematic study on Yu Kwang-chung's theoretical thoughts on translation. It also points out that the thoughts are from his translation practice, and at the same time they are guiding his practice.Chapter Three analyzes Yu Kwang-chung's translation practice-his translation of the biography of Vincent Van, Oscar Wilde's plays and Ernest Hemingway's novel. The interaction of his translation practice and theoretical thoughts on translation is also analyzed in this chapter.Chapter Four studies Yu Kwang-chung's theoretical thoughts on and practice of poetry translation. His theoretical thoughts are further elaborated in the author's interview with him on the telephone. His poetry translation is studied to corroborate his theoretical thoughts on poetry translation.Chapter Five examines Yu Kwang-chung's translation criticism under the cultural globalization. The significance and features of Yu Kwang-chung's translation criticism would also be discussed in this chapter.The conclusion sums up the whole thesis.