A Study Of Lin Yutang's Translation Of Chinese Classics: In The Light Of André Lefevere's Three-Factor Theory

Lin Yutang (1895-1976)is a world- renowned scholar. This thesis is intended to make a study of Lin Yutang as a translator, his translation theory and his translation practice based on AndréLefevere's three- factor theory. Lin Yutang put forward his own translation theory, which is systematic and comprehensive. He raised his three criteria for translation, i.e. trueness, fluency and aesthetical acceptability, and further put forward three responsibilities, respectively the responsibility for the source text, for the target readership and for art.Lin Yutang's achievement lies not only in his translation theory, but also in his translation practice. He translated a substantial quantity of classical Chinese literary works. Almost all the works he translated are about Xingling (Xing means one's personal nature, and ling means one's soul or vital spirit), humor or leisure and comfort. They conform to Lin Yutang's literary views whose emphases are also about Xingling, humor, and leisure and comfort.Based on Lefevere's three-factor theory, this thesis aims at exploring the various factors that have manipulated Lin Yutang's translation activities. By taking a systematic look into his translations, prefaces or postscripts, letters, and writings related to his translations, the thesis analyzes how the three elements, namely ideology, poetics and patronage have affected Lin Yutang's choice of the source texts and his translation strategies.Through detailed analysis of Lin Yutang's cultural attitudes, which include the analysis of his attitudes towards Chinese traditional culture---Confucianism and attitudes towards Chinese classical literature---the School of Xingling, the author also tries to trace his early life experiences and educational background, which to a large extent lead to the formation of his cultural attitudes and literary conception. Under the cross influences of the East and the West, Lin Yutang formed his unique attitudes towards the two cultures and his unique understanding of Chinese traditional culture. Hence comes into being his translation motivation to introduce Chinese culture by translating those works representing the Chinese philosophy of Confucianism and those works such as prose, essay, novel, poetry and drama which agreed with his literary taste. In order to achieve the goals of introducing Chinese culture and appealing to the Western readers' interest, Lin Yutang used various kinds of translation strategies which brought about very good effects and accorded with his three criteria for translation, trueness, fluency and aesthetical acceptability.As an interpreter of the East for the West, Lin Yutang's translation theory and practices have finally become a hot topic in China's translation circle since the beginning of the 1990s. However, due to his complicated artistic experiences and profound knowledge about both Chinese and Western cultures; there are still sore issues unsolved in exploring the uniqueness of this controversially great master's translated works. Actually his most important contribution to the Chinese translation history is seldom studied. His greatest achievements lie in his translation of the Chinese classical works, which are his great efforts to introduce some important Chinese cultural images and literary works to the Western readers in a popularized way.Lin Yutang devoted his whole life to the cultural exchange between the East and the West. He made especially great contribution to the spreading of the Chinese culture to the world, and promoted the studies of translation theories. His contributions are permanent and his art of translation is worth appreciating and learning. The thesis consists of four chapters, besides the introduction and the conclusion. The introduction is the motivation, significance, feasibility, approaches and arrangement of the thesis. The first chapter is a literature review of the study of Lin Yutang both at home and abroad. Through this chapter it can be seen what progress has been made and what still needs to be done in the study of Lin Yutang. The second chapter is a review of Lin Yutang's translation theory and translated works. The third chapter deals with AndréLefevere's three-factor theory and its application to the study of Lin Yutang's translation of Chinese Classics, in which AndréLefevere's three-factor theory, factors influencing Lin Yutang's translation and case study of Lin Yutang's translation works are probed into details. This chapter is the central part of the thesis. And in the fourth chapter emphasis is put on translation strategies Lin Yutang employed in translating Chinese Classics, altogether six strategies summed up by the writer. Through this chapter the readers can appreciate the exquisite technique Lin Yutang holds in translation. Then comes the conclusion of the thesis, that is, under the constraint of ideology, poetics and patronage , Lin Yutang translated many classical Chinese literary works and these translations played a very important part in the communication between China and the Western world.