| In the late Qing Dynasty, Tan Tian, as an astronomical masterpiece, was translated from Outlines of Astronomy which was composed by the well-known British astronomer John Herschel (John. F. W. Herschel,1791-1871) in 1849 for the amateur astronomers. TanTian, a self-contained academic work of astronomy, translated by Li Shanlan and Alexander Wylie, is the most important one in the modern history of astronomy. The translation and dissemination of TanTian not only promoted the establishment of heliocentric theory and elliptic theory in China, but also triggered the transition from traditional astronomy in the late Qing Dynasty to modern astronomy. What’s more, it influenced the people’s values of universe and world at that time. Therefore, the profound and systematic study of the book can deepen our understanding of the history of Chinese astronomy; by contrasting the different motivations and purposes of the two translators, we may have a better understanding of the different starting points from which the Chinese intellectuals and the western missionaries started translating the works of technology; through the analysis of strategies, along with the ways of cooperation used in the process of translation, we may have a good knowledge of the characteristics of the translation of science and technology in the period of late Qing Dynasty.This paper, from the following aspects, is to conduct a comprehensive analysis and research on the translation and influences of Tan Tian.1. An overview of Tantian and outlines of astronomy. First, it briefly introduces the frame structures and contents of Tantian and outlines of astronomy, as well as the original book’s spread and influence in the UK; it also introduces the life and academic background of John Herschel, Alexander Wylie and Li Shanlan; secondly, by analyzing Herschel’s writing motivation, we may come to know the theory of scientific method the book attempts to convey; through the analysis of the background of translation and by means of the research on the different motivations and purposes between early intellectuals and Protestant missionaries in the late Qing Dynasty, we may get to know the different starting points where the Chinese scientists and missionaries were involved in the translation of scientific works. Thirdly, the analysis of the contents of astronomy and astrophysics included by Tantian sheds light on the fact that Tantian is a self-contained academic work of astronomy, and the difference between Tantian and other popular books lies in its academic quality and knowledge system.2. Analysis and Research on the translation strategies and cooperation mode. First of all, after introducing the translation background, we may analyze the reasons and strategies in the process of translation, as well as the ways of processing astronomical terms and terminology; furthermore, by taking Tantian as an example, we may have a concrete analysis of the features and effects of translation jointly conducted by early intellectuals and Western missionaries and then we may safely reach a conclusion that "Foreign missionaries interpreting while Chinese intellectuals dictating" is the basic feature of translation of science and technology in the late Qing Dynasty.3. Exploration and discussion of the dissemination as well as the influence on the modernization of Chinese astronomy in the late Qing Dynasty. The paper discusses the spread of the book,; through the analysis of the introduction and evaluation of other Western learning books to TanTian, and through the research of the influences on the later astronomical translations, the astronomical education and the thought reform movement of 1898,along with the construction of observatories respectively, thus it shows the historical status of TanTian in the modern astronomical careers in terms of the basic constructions of ideology, talents and materials in the late Qing Dynasty. |
