二十世纪八十年代以来英美主流媒体对中国文学的阐释与接受.docx

二十世纪八十年代以来英美主流媒体对中国文学的阐释与接受IntroductionBackground and Significance of the ResearchAlthough there has been some international attention paid to Chinese literature, Chineseliterary works rarely make the best-seller list and remain far away from the mainstreamliterary world. Lv Minhong writes that only faculty and students studying East AsianLanguage and Literature read and research Chinese literary works (2011). And even in thepast few years, Chinese literature still "suffers from a lack of variety, low sales and obscurityand could barely make into the public awareness in America (2011). The reasons for thissituation are multifaceted and varied. Apart from the aesthetic values of Chinese literatureand the quality of translation, such extra-textual factors as ideology, reading habits andpatronage manipulation also play a significant role in the overseas reception of Chineseliterary works.This thesis, by focusing on the critiques of Chinese literary works from the prestigiousBritish and American newspapers, tends to explore how their interests in, attitudes andpreferences towards Chinese literature evolve over time. And it is hoped that through theseexplorative efforts, the present study could shed some light on how to promote the translationof Chinese literature abroad, and ease the estrangement between Eastern and Westernliterature. The theoretical and practical significance of this research can be presented asfollows.Theoretically, this thesis to some extent broadens the field of "Translation Studies." Interms of origin, Translation Studies branches out from mediology which, hailing from theinfluence study, discusses the dissemination, influence and reception of literary works.However, the translation product (translated literature) used to be the focus of research effortswhile the reception process where reviews and articles on literary works are produced hasalways been neglected. As a result, the thesis aims to touch into this uncared-for area andspecifically selects the critiques of Chinese literature on major British and Americannewspapers as the research focus. Because what’s been critically discussed on thesenewspapers reflects and undoubtedly not only affects the reception of Chinese literatureabroad, but also can help us discover the secret to successful dissemination efforts in thefuture.Practically speaking, the mainstream British and American newspapers led by The NewYork Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and The Times are perfect to study becausethey, imbued with the western ideology and cultural values, reflect the reading expectationsof the target audience, and influence the selection and evaluation of Chinese literature.So from what has been written and discussed there, we could understand in vivid detailthe concerns, the interests, the preferences and the prejudices the mainstream media mighthave towards Chinese literature, which not only contributes to the promotion of Chineseliterature abroad, but helps bridge the cultural remoteness between East and West.Chapter One Literature ReviewBased on the materials collected so far, there has been extensive observational researchon the overseas dissemination of Chinese literature, but very little of it looks into thereception of Chinese literature from a media perspective, and even less that treats mainstreamnewspapers as an independent research object. The most common approach is to studytranslated works or writers whose works have been translated and introduced abroad, or totouch into a broad discussion about the dissemination and reception of contemporary Chineseliterature where media influences are studied sporadically. In general, the relevant previousstudies fall roughly into the three categories as follows:The first kind of articles focus on the reception of translated works or distinct Chinesewriters whose translated works are getting overseas attention. The representational articlesinclude "Translation of Hongloumeng: Purpose and Strategy of Translation" (论翻译的目的和策略 以红楼梦的译介为例) (Chen, 2015), "Textual Travel and Translation Deviation On the Creative Misreading of Cold Mountain Poems by Gary Snyde" (文本旅行与翻译变异?论加里·斯奈德对寒山诗的创造性"误读") (Hu, 2005), "The Translation of the Yijingand Its Spread in the English World since the Mid-20th Century" (20 世纪中期以来易经在英语世界的译介与传播) (Li, 2016), "The Translation and Reception of Decoded: A Novel inthe English World" (解密在英美国家的译介研究) (Gao, 2016), On the Interpretation andReception of Bi Feiyu’s Novels by the Mainstream Media and the Reading Public in America A Case Study of ‘The Moon Opera’ and ‘Three Sisters’ (美国主流媒体与大众读者对毕飞宇小说的阐释与接受 以青衣和玉米为考察对象) (Hu & Hu, 2015), "Aesthetic Unityof Distinct ‘Landscapes’ of Contemporary Chinese Literature: Reception of Yu Hua’s WorksAbroad (当代文学诧异"风景"的美学统一:余华的海外接受)" (Liu, 2014), "Indigenous andEthnic Writing of International IdentityDissemination and Reception of Mo Yan’s WorksAbroad (本土性、民族性的世界写作 莫言的海外传播与接受)" (Liu, 2011), "Translationand Overseas Dissemination of Jia Pingwa’s Literary Works (论贾平凹作品的国外译介与传播 兼论陕西文学"走出去"的现状与问题)" (Qiao, 2014), "Diasporic Trip of Mu Xin’sShort Novels in the English-speaking World (木心短篇小说在英语世界的文化飞散之旅)" (Lu,2014), etc.Some articles of this kind choose to study the classic works of Chinese literature, suchas The Book of Changes, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, The Art of War, The Dream of theRed Chamber; however, more articles attach importance to the modern works that haveachieved success at home and abroad, including Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum, The Garlic Ballads,Frog, Jia Ping Wa’s Turbulance, Yu Hua’s Brothers, To Live and Chronicle of a BloodMerchant, etc. Generally speaking, most of the articles are comprehensive in scope, coveringa wide range of topics and demonstrating with penetrating critique and empirical analysis ofhow a specific work of Chinese literature makes its way to the English-speaking world.However, the lessons learned from a single work or a single writer are too specific to beapplicable for the long run.The second category of articles aim to explore the correlation between the translationmechanism and the promotion of contemporary Chinese literature abroad. The typical articlesinclude "The Translation Mechanism and strategy behind the ‘Going Out’ Project to PromoteChinese Literature Abroad: With the Translation of Mo Yan’s Works and Dream of the RedChamber as an Example" ("中国文学走出去"之翻译机制与策略 以莫言作品和红楼梦翻译为例) (Wang, 2014), "How Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature Has BeenTranslated and Circulated in the English-speaking World: An Overview" (英语世界中国现当代文学翻译:现状与问题) (Ma, 2013), "Sinologists and Translation of Chinese Literature: theCommunication Bridge that links China and the West (汉学家和中国文学的翻译 中外文化沟通的桥梁)" (Huang, 2010), "On the Dimension of Readers’ Response Theory to theTranslation Theory And Practice (论读者反应在翻译理论和翻译实践中的意义)" (Qin, 1999),etc.Chapter Three Interpretation and Reception of Modern .93.1 Politicized Interpretation Features Sociological Curiosity: From 1980 to 1990 . 93.2 Ideological Pomposity behind Sociological and Literary Coverage: From 1990 to2000. 133.2.1 Ideological Bias Intertwined with Political Curiosity. 143.2.2 Sociological Coverage Broadens in Range . 153.2.3 Literary Merits Underrated and Underappreciated . 173.3 Intensified Sociological Interest and Literary Favoritism. 193.3.1 Ideological Coverage Remains the Norm. 203.3.2 Sociological Interest Intensified in the Difference. 213.3.3 Literary Favoritism Shown to Exoticism and Universality . 22Chapter Four Reflections on Translation and Promotion of Chinese Literature Abroad .264.1 Translation-related Remarks in the Four Newspapers: from the 1980s to 2000s. 264.2 Reflections on the Translation, Reception and Promotion of Modern ChineseLiterature . 27Chapter Four Reflections on Translation and Promotion ofChinese Literature Abroad4.1 Translation-related Remarks in the Four Newspapers: from the1980s to 2000sOver the thirty years from 1980 to 2010, very few words were spoken about translationfrom the four newspapers. But still there were a few remarks that ever discussed abouttranslation style and rules.In the 1980s, out of the 25 articles only two ever mentioned translation. The first onewas mainly about the controversial, record-high translation fees of the "Tao-te-ching" projectwhich was initiated by Harper & Row. In the article a background briefing was given of thetranslator Stephen Mitchell and of his translation process. Surprisingly, Mr. Mitchell wasunfamiliar with Chinese he does not read or speak Chinese so he worked with a textthat contained every Chinese character as well their English characters. The only valuableexperience that would help him translate was 14 years’ practice of Zen Buddhism and amarriage with a Chinese-American wife. For such spiritually complex work as Tao-te-ching,the publisher ventured to have a non-Chinese expert take charge of the translation, whichreflected the way an American publisher handled translation accuracy is not the primarypoint but personal sympathy with the text is (McDowell, 1988).The other translation remark was made by Feldman from The New York Times and thebook in question is One Half of the Sky: Stories from Contemporary Women Writers ofChina, a short story collection translated by the British-style translators R. A. Roberts andAngela Knox. Feldman regretted "the translations feature a decidedly British phrasing, thusincreasing the distance that already exists between American readers and Chinese writers. Soto Feldman, and supposedly to The New York Times, a decent American English translationshould tend to the difference between varieties of English, or more specifically, it should benatural and idiomatic in an American way (1988).