On Translation Of Culture-loaded Imagery In Shijing

Shijing is believed to be the very fountainhead of Chinese poetry.As the treasure of Chinese classic literature,its unique literary appeal has enthralled both Chinese and western scholars.So far various attempts have been made at the translation of Shijing.But with many culture-loaded images infused with profound metaphorical meanings in it,translators have difficulties in finding equivalence in translation.This thesis focuses on the translation of culture-loaded imagery in both Xu's and Legge's English translations of Shijing in the light of Susan Bassnett's Cultural Translation Theory.The purpose of the study is to reveal the strategies the two prestigious translators employed respectively in translating culture-loaded images,on the basis of which their effectiveness is discussed and evaluated from the perspective of Cultural Translation.The author found that: 1)Although both Xu and Legge have made some “mistakes”in the translation of culture-loaded images,judging from the principles of Cultural Translation,these deliberately made “mistakes” in effect help improve target readers' understanding of the images as well as the target text as a whole.2)Both translators have excellent performance in the translation of culture-loaded botanic imagery.3)Both translators resort to the strategies of literal translation,free translation and substitution,among which literal translation is used most frequently,sometimes with additional notations.Free translation and substitution are found to be in use when the cultural connotations in the target culture and original culture have huge difference.4)Apart from facilitating the target reader's understanding of the original text,both translators take other factors into consideration when they choose strategies,for example,the pursuit of rhyming effects.5)There are also occasions when the two translators make different decisions as to ways of rendering some delicate details.