The Research On James Legge’s English Metrical Version Of The She King Guofeng

James Legge (1815-1897), with complete biographical account as missionary and sinologist, plays a very important role in the history of sinology. He is a pioneer of translation of ancient Chinese literature and philosophy in English. A passion for translation of The She King binds together the different stages of in Legge’s life and career. He translated this Book three times, first in a prose version of 1871 which was part of his working porgramme for the collection of Chinese Classics, and actually has a missionary purpose. Then the second translation was based on metrical version and published in 1876, when Legge was working in Oxford. The third was only parts and collected in the Sacred Books of the East by Max Muller’s lead in 1879.This metrical version with the mechanical rhymes, are intended to give the sense of the beauty of pattern as original. However it seems to turn this version unpopular by the stiff and scholarly rendering. Since James Legge established a frame that could be contested as influenced the later translators, how to reveal the unregarded situation is a question worth taking into consideration. This research aims to compare the translation of James Legge’s two versions with other representative English versions such as the version of Jennings William and of Arthur Waley through the 160 songs of Guofeng, the Shi King or The Book of Poetry, and re-examine the literary impact on abroad.