Translation Under Unbalanced Power

From the perspective of post-colonialism, post-colonialism translation studyfocuses on the powerful struggles and powerful operations between two culturesbehind distortion and displacement of translated works. Power differentials betweencultures make the balance dialogues an illusion. It pays attention to the externalconditions and the subversive role of end products of translation to target cultures.Through exploring the relationship between translated works and historical conditionand the alteration of the translated text, we can uncover the relationship betweenhistorical conditions of translated works and power relations. Traditional translationtheory assumes that translation is an equal dialogue between cultures. However,power differentials between cultures are perpetuated in the post-colonial context.In order to further expand the interests and rights in China, British and Francelaunched the Second Opium War which happened from1856to1860. It ended upwith the failure of the Qing government and then the signing of Treaty of Tianjin.Many researches have been done about the background, the signing process andinfluence of this treaty. But rare attention has been paid to the treaty itself and itstranslation. This thesis, taking Treaty of Tianjin signed between British and China asan example, analyzes twenty provisions based on the post-colonialism translationtheory. The translation strategies in the translation process used by the translators andthe causes are discussed with the power differential and three key concepts ofpost-colonialism. Also, by analyzing the English and Chinese versions of the text, theauthor discusses the role of translation for British’s hegemonic expansion to Chinawith their huge difference of power. In addition, the thesis shows how the translatorsof this treaty randomly changed and extended the meaning of the original version,challenging the notion that the translation is inferior to the original.