A Study on Qian Zhongshu’s Translation: Sublimation in Translation

Abstract

Qian Zhongshu was a master of Chinese belles letters and an influential translator in China. This thesis discusses Qian Zhongshu’s role as an important translator and focuses on reviewing both his translation theory and practice. This thesis consists of five parts. The first part introduces the subject. The second part presents Qian Zhongshu’s translation theory. The third part presents his translated works and analyses with examples of his translations. The fourth part discusses the influence of Qian Zhongshu’s translation. The last part concludes this paper. Qian Zhongshu’s study of translation began early and was a life-long occupation. The development of his translation theory can be divided chronologically into four periods: the thirties, the forties, the late sixties and the seventies of the 20th century. This paper presents Qian’s different ideas on advancing translation theory at different periods of time. His translated works, Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Mao Zedong’s Poems, and countless quotations from the literatures of foreign languages, will all be reviewed. His theory regarding faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance and his theory of sublimation is below analyzed in detail with examples of his translations. His translations show his outstanding translating strategies and skills. Qian Zhongshu’s sublimation theory settles the long lived argument between literal translation and liberal translation, foreignization and domestication. In short, Qian’s translation theory and practice are indispensable parts of a Chinese translation system, which deserves study.  Keywords:  Qian Zhongshu; translation theory; translation practices; sublimation