The Translation and Acceptance of Chinese Classical Poetry by British Sinology from the Perspective of Cultural Identity

Abstract

This paper surveys the intersections involving the transmission and the appreciation of traditional Chinese literature in British Sinology with respect to cultural identity. Chronologically analyzing translation practices, beginning with the 17th century until today, the study looks at the role of cultural identity in the selection of a text for translation, the choice of a translation method, as well as the ways in which British readers react to the translations of Chinese classical poetry. The research integrates quantitative and qualitative methods to study translation strategies, the selected examples pointing to the considerable changes in the strategies employed and the culture of translation. The results indicate that there are close connections between the political and social environment of the translators and the reception of their translations, and vice versa. The research shows in what way British translations of classical Chinese poetry have enriched international communication and literature in the British context of Sinology, and also how they have changed the identity of British Sinology. This work adds on the understanding of the relations existing between the national role and translation activities regarding the role of national literature in a multicultural cross-literary communication.