Self-orientalization In Zhang Ailing's Self-translated Works

Zhang Ailing was a legendary figure in Chinese modern history. She not only wrote numerous works, but also translated a relatively large number of works. Researchers and experts at home and abroad mainly focus on her literary achievements. Only in recent years did academic circles begin to pay attention to her identity as a translator and her translated works. Up till now, researches on her translation either center on an introduction of her translation accomplishments, or analyze her translated works from the concept of hybridity, female translation theory, reception theory or the perspective of ideology. However, the postcolonial context of her self-translation as well as her unique cultural identity as a translator does not receive its due attention, consequently self-orientalization in her self-translated works is neglected.In postcolonial theory, self-orientalization refers to the identification with superiority of the Occidental culture and inferiority of the Oriental culture by some Orientalélite, who even confirm the Occidentals'prototype image of the Orient by simplification, generalization and exaggeration in their works. Self-orientalization influences translators'cultural identity, and leaves traces in translation, which can be reflected from the selection of source texts and the adoption of translation approaches. From the postcolonial perspective of translation studies, the thesis aims to expound causes and manifestations of self-orientalization in Zhang Ailing's self-translated works through analyzing the social context, her cultural identity, self-translation text selection, self-translation purposes and approaches.The main body of the thesis is divided into three parts. Part One probes into causes which contribute to self-orientalization in Zhang Ailing's self-translated works in terms of the social context and cultural identity, pointing out that it is resulted from the influences of power imbalance between China and the West, the United States Information Agency (the patronage) and self-orientalization in her cultural identity. Part Two discusses Zhang Ailing's self-translation text selection. In her choice of the source texts, Zhang Ailing mainly selected texts that represent the perverted Chinese women and"castrated"Chinese men, and texts of a despotic China. Her self-translated texts reflect the Westerners'stereotyped impressions of a mystic, backward, depraved and violent China as well as their biased and disdainful attitudes towards Chinese political system and Chinese Communist Party, because only the Oriental"Other"image of China could satisfy the Westerners'voyeuristic desire and arouse their interest to read. Part Three examines self-orientalization in her self-translation purposes and adoption of translation approaches by analyzing the concrete examples. In order to represent and exaggerate the alienation, inferiority and weirdness of Chinese culture, Zhang Ailing adopted literal translation, addition and rewriting. Meanwhile, she used cultural transposition to express the original content with the purpose of removing comprehension obstacles to the Western readers and increasing readability.From the postcolonial perspective of translation studies, the thesis captures Zhang Ailing's unique cultural identity as a self-translator. And by investigating self-orientalization in her self-translated works, the thesis reveals that Zhang Ailing conformed to the Westerners'stereotyped image of China and confirmed universality and superiority of the Western culture through the selection of self-translation works and the adoption of translation approaches, and proves that translation is not a transparent and equal cultural undertaking in the postcolonial context.