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Abstract Chinese traditional literary theories constitute a key part of international communication of Chinese discourse. To foster a more robust international communication in the field, it is necessary for Chinese traditional literary theories to engage in equal dialogues with Western literary theories while acknowledging their Chinese heterogeneity. “Thick translation” offers an effective venue to equal dialogues between Chinese and Western literary theories. To begin with, as an academic translation strategy realized by means of “literal translation plus notes of various description,” “thick translation” is distinguished by thicker contextualization, which requires a genuinely informed respect for the source text and cultural diversity. Secondly, its philological and universalist particularities require the translator to create a contact zone where the target text and the source text interact with each other, so as to help the target reader fully understand and truly respect the source text and source culture. Thirdly, its ultimate purpose is to enable the coexistence and communication of source culture and target culture.
This article first revisits “thick translation” for its philological and universalist particularities, and then analyzes its applicability to the English translation of Chinese traditional literary theories. Based upon this, this study highlights Stephen Owen’s thick translation of Wen Fu in terms of its textual features, ethical principles and academic circulation, in an attempt to give valuable insights into international communication and recognition of Chinese traditional literary theories in the world. It can be argued that by means of “translation plus commentary” and “literal translation plus notes,” Stephen Owen’s thick translation of Wen Fu permits the English reader to see how the Chinese theoretical text works and how Chinese and Western literary theories interact with and shed light on each other, thereby possessing great academic, pedagogical and cultural significance in its own right. It can consequently be claimed that in the course of ensuring equal dialogues between Chinese and Western literary theories on the basis of unity in diversity, “thick translation” makes an effective academic approach to the international communication of Chinese traditional literary theories by emphasizing balanced and reciprocal academic relationships.
The significance of the present research can be summarized in the following three aspects (1) it intensifies theoretical interpretation of “thick translation” by probing into its philological and universalist particularities, hence expanding theorizing power in translation studies with sharper interdisciplinary nature; (2) it expands research on Wen Fu and even Chinese traditional literary theories by using the methods of close reading, contextual analysis and communication effect review, thus informing further research on translation and international communication of Chinese literary theories and literature; (3) it helps to advance the national project of “Chinese Culture Going Global” by advocating “thick translation” as an effective strategic and tactic method introducing Chinese traditional literary theories to the world, hopefully erecting a shared community of culture for all human beings.
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Published: 21 June 2024
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