An Exploration Of The Vicissitudes Of The Image Of Chinese Translators From The Late Qing Dynasty To The May4th Movement And The Underlying Reasons

Translation has historically been the key to communication between different nations.Translation activity is closely related to the society and culture where the interaction occursand to the historical circumstances. A variety of social and cultural factors have played arole in the development of the Chinese translator’s image. China witnessed three majortranslation eras, i.e., the translation of the Buddhist Scriptures from the Eastern HanDynasty（25-220）to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), science-related interpretation during thelate Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and early Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), and the translationthat resulted from the introduction of western knowledge that occurred with the May4thMovement. From the Opium War to the May4th Movement, each phase of translationclimaxed and evolved into a subsequent phase, which gives rise to a number of questions:What role does the translator play in translation activity? How were translators perceivedby the society that surrounded them?My dissertation has six chapters:1) an introduction containing backgroundinformation and research methodology;2) a literary review centering on both domestic andforeign research and discussing the inadequacy of current research;3) a discussion of the“traitor” image of the translator during the Opium War to the Westernization Movementand the perception of the translator by various sectors;4) an analysis of the image of thetranslator during two specific phases, the first after the Westernization Movement until theSino-Japanese War and the second after the Sino-Japanese war until the New CultureMovement, and the reasons for the distinct phases;5) consideration of the “Prometheusimage” in history, including the reasons for and the development of this image; and6)conclusions and a general statement on the entire thesis. My thesis is an attempt to generalize the sources and composition of translators as agroup through history (from the late Qing Dynasty to the May Fourth Movement), toprovide an explanation of the historical role of the translator through the eyes of individualsfrom different social classes, and to depict the evolution of translator’s status and postulatethe reasons for this progression. The conclusions of the thesis can be seen in the followingpoints:1. My thesis shows a clear progression in the translator’s image from a historicalperspective. The “traitor” image was applied to translators as a whole during the OpiumWar, which was obviously negative to the “Match-maker” image, and this image evolvedinto the “Bogus Foreign Devil” identity during the Westernization Movement period, untilultimately transforming into the positive “Prometheus” image during the May4thMovement. The image changed as a result of historical factors. With the changes in image,the social status of translators is greatly improved and their subjectivity and influencebecame more prominent.2. The composition of the translator groups varied during different periods. In theOpium War period, bureaucratic scholars in feudal society and those residing in coastalareas were active with foreigners who took positions as translators. After theWesternization Movement, with the establishment of the translation school and theappearance of the comprador bourgeoisie, this group was primarily responsible fortranslation activity. From the New Culture Movement to May4th Movement, translatorsconsisted mostly of those with the earliest thoughts of national bourgeoisie, i.e., theReformists. Different translation schools and groups were set up in this period, whichaccelerated translation activity.3. The causes of the changes in the translator’s status were both internal and external.Political and economic changes in China, as well as increased contact with the West, bothhelped to enhance the role of the translator.