A Prestigious Translator and Writer of Children’S Literature
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A Study of Chinese Translations and Interpretations of H.C. Andersen's Tales History and Influence Li, Wenjie Publication date: 2014 Document version Early version, also known as pre-print Citation for published version (APA): Li, W. (2014). A Study of Chinese Translations and Interpretations of H.C. Andersen's Tales: History and Influence. Det Humanistiske Fakultet, Københavns Universitet. Download date: 01. okt.. 2021 FACULTY OF HUMANITIES UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN PhD thesis Li Wenjie Thesis title A STUDY OF CHINESE TRANSLATIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS OF H.C. ANDERSEN’S TALES: HISTORY AND INFLUENCE Academic advisor: Henrik Gottlieb Submitted: 23/01/2014 Institutnavn: Institut for Engelsk, Germansk and Romansk Name of department: Department of English, Germanic and Romance Studies Author: Li Wenjie Titel og evt. undertitel: En undersøgelse af kinesisk oversættelse og fortolkninger af H. C. Andersens eventyr: historie og indflydelse Title / Subtitle: A Study of Chinese Translations and Interpretations of H.C. Andersen’s Tales: History and Influence Subject description: H. C. Andersen, Tales, Translation History, Interpretation, Chinese Translation Academic advisor: Henrik Gottlieb Submitted: 23. Jan. 2014 Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge, it contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text. It has not been submitted for any other degree or professional qualification except as specified. Contents List of abbreviations ..................................................................................................... i List of Chinese periodicals .......................................................................................... ii List of Chinese names and pen names ....................................................................... iv List of Chinese publishing houses .............................................................................. vi Acknowledgement ...................................................................................................... vii Abstract ..................................................................................................................... viii Chapter One Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Chronological overview of the translation into Chinese of H. C. Andersen’s tales, and their reception ............................................................................................ 7 1.3 Previous studies on H. C. Andersen’s tales and their Chinese translations in China ........................................................................................................................ 23 Chapter Two Theoretical Background and Methodology ............................................................. 30 2.1 A Review of Translation Studies ....................................................................... 30 2.1.1 From source text (ST) orientation to target text (TT) orientation ............... 30 2.1.2 From prescriptive approach to descriptive approach .................................. 36 2.1.3 From focus on text to focus on context ....................................................... 38 2.1.4 New attempts and thoughts ......................................................................... 39 2.2 Define translation ............................................................................................... 42 2.2.1 Definitions of translation in previous studies ............................................. 42 2.2.2 The working definition of translation in this research ................................ 45 2.2.3 The corpus of this research ......................................................................... 49 2.3 Methods applied to this research ........................................................................ 51 2.3.1 Diachronic method ...................................................................................... 51 2.3.2 A mechanism of canonization ..................................................................... 52 2.3.2.1 The influential factors on translation practice ..................................... 53 2.3.2.2 A mechanism of canonization .............................................................. 54 2.3.3 Descriptive approach adopted in this study ................................................ 56 Chapter Three Phase one: first introduction to China (1909 - 1925) .............................................. 58 3.1 The factors bearing a key influence on Andersen translation ............................ 58 3.1.1 The Socio-political factor ........................................................................... 58 3.1.2 The Patrons of Andersen translation ........................................................... 59 3.1.3 The readers of Andersen’s tales and their influence ................................... 62 3.1.4 Translation poetics in this period: main concerns and thoughts ................. 64 3.1.4.1 Debates on the status of translated literature ....................................... 65 3.1.4.2 Discussion on what to translate ............................................................ 66 3.1.4.3 Issues on Translation Methods and Principles ..................................... 68 3.1.5 The major translators and their impact ....................................................... 72 3.2 The translations of Andersen’s tales during this period - facts and specimen studies ...................................................................................................................... 73 3.2.1 The first vernacular version of Andersen’s tales ........................................ 73 3.2.2 Two special issues on Andersen’s Fairy tales and his life .......................... 77 3.2.3 Zhao Jingshen (1902-1985) and his translations ........................................ 81 Chapter Four Phase two: Andersen becomes popular with the general public (1926 - 1937) .... 89 4.1 The influential factors in Andersen translation .................................................. 90 4.2 Gu Junzheng (1902-1980) an active translator in this period ............................ 93 4.2.1 His life and career as an editor, a translator and a writer of children’s literature ............................................................................................................... 93 4.2.2 His translation of Andersen’s tales: facts and specimen studies ................. 94 Chapter Five Phase three: Andersen’s tales achieve canonized status in the 1950s ................. 103 5.1 Translation environment in the 1950s .............................................................. 103 5.2 The interpretations of Andersen’s tales ........................................................... 106 5.3 Chen Jingrong (1917-1989): a female translator of H. C. Andersen’s tales .... 108 5.3.1 Her life and career as a “New Woman” .................................................... 108 5.3.2 Chen’s translations of Andersen’s works – facts and specimen studies ... 109 5.4 Ye Junjian (1914-1999): the first direct translator ........................................... 117 5.4.1 His life ....................................................................................................... 117 5.4.2 Ye’s translations of Andersen’s fairy tales - facts and specimen studies . 120 5.4.2.1 Ye Junjian’s thoughts on translation and his style of translation ....... 124 5.4.2.2 Comparison between the 1954 and 1958 translations ........................ 127 5.4.2.3 Comparison between Ye Junjian’s 1958 translation and translations by Lin Hua and Shi Qin’e ................................................................................... 131 5.5 Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 136 Chapter Six Phase four: Andersen’s tales remain canonized (1978-2005) .............................. 139 6.1 Political reform and its influence on translation .............................................. 139 6.2 Lin Hua (1927-2005) - Another complete direct translation ........................... 141 6.2.1 His life and career- a diplomat and an Andersen translator ...................... 141 6.2.2 His translations of Andersen’s works – facts and first impressions ......... 142 6.2.2.1 Lin’s understanding of Andersen and his tales .................................. 142 6.2.2.3 His translations of Andersen’s tales – facts and specimen studies .... 145 6.3 Ren Rongrong (1923- ) and his new translations of complete Andersen’s tales from their English translations ............................................................................... 155 6.3.1 His life and career - a prestigious translator and writer of children’s literature ............................................................................................................. 155 6.3.1.1 His Early Life ..................................................................................... 155 6.3.1.2 His career as a translator and writer of children’s literature .............. 157 6.3.2 His translations of Andersen’s tales .......................................................... 160 6.3.2.1 His understanding of Andersen’s tales .............................................