《桃花源记》英译及翻译体会

【摘要】本文探討了中国古典散文《桃花源记》的英译，并着重从翻译策略、具体词句的翻译及古典散文意境的传译三个层面谈谈笔者在翻译中的体会。

【关键词】《桃花源记》英译 翻译体会 翻译策略 具体词句的翻译 古典散文意境的传译

【Abstract】This article mainly explores the English translation of ancient Chinese prose The Tale of Peach Blossom Spring，and also talks about the authors personal understanding of translation from three aspects – translation strategies，translation of specific words and sentences and transference of the artistic ideorealm in translating ancient Chinese prose.

【Key words】English translation of The Tale of Peach Blossom Spring； Understanding of translation； translation strategies； Translation of specific words and sentences； Transference of the artistic ideorealm in translating ancient Chinese prose

译文：

The Tale of Peach Blossom Spring

Tao Yuanming[1]

In the year of Taiyuan[2]of the Jin Dynasty，there lived a man in Wuling jun[3]who earned his living by fishing.One Day，he rowed his boa4 along a stream，unaware of how far he had gone.Suddenly，he came upon a grove of peach trees in blossom.The grove extended several hundred yards `long both banks of the stream.There were no other kinds of tree in the grove.The sweet-smelling herbage was fresh and beautiful.Here and there falling peach petals were dancing gracefully in a thousand Hues.The fisherman，in extreme wonder，rowed on，wishing to go to the end of the grove.

The grove ended at the fountainhead of the stream，and there was a hill from which a narrow cave-like opening showed him dim light.The fisherman stepped ashore and walked into the opening.At first it was rather narrow，barely enough for one person to pass.But after a few dozen paces an extensive view suddenly appeared before him.The land was flat and spacious.There were houses arranged in good order with fertile fields，beautiful ponds，mulberry trees and bamboo groves and paths crisscrossing the fields in all directions.The crowing of cocks and the barking of dogs were within everyone's ears.Some inhabitants were traveling on the paths，while others were busy with farm work In the fields.All the men and women were dressed in strange garments，like some foreigners.They all，old and young，were all living in self-contentment.

When they saw the fisherman，they were greatly surprised and asked where he came from.The fisherman answered their every question.Then they invited him to visit their homes，killed chickens，and served wine to entertain him.When the villagers heard of this man，they all came to greet him.They told him that their ancestors had come to this isolated haven，bringing their families and the village people，to escape from the turmoil during the Qin Dynasty and that from then on they had not gone out again and been cut off from the outside world.They were curious to know what dynasty it was now.They did not know the Han Dynasty，let alone the Wei and the Jin dynasties.The fisherman told them all the things they wanted to know.They heard with great amazement.The others in turn also invited him to their homes and entertain him with wine and food.After several days，the fisherman took his leave.The villagers entreated him not to tell the people outside about their existence.

When he had gone out，the fisherman found his boat and rowed homeward，leaving marks all the way.As soon as he came back to the jun，he called on the magistrate and reported him his adventure.The magistrate immediately sent people to go with him and seek out the place.However，the marks he had left could no longer be found.They got lost and could not find the way.

Liu Ziji of Nanyang jun[4]，a learned scholar of high repute，was excited when he heard the fisherman's story.He devised a plan to find the place，but it was not carried out.Soon after，he fell ill and died.Since then，no one else has gone in search of this place.

Notes：

[1]Tao Yuanming （365-427） was a great poet during the Eastern Jin Dynasty，and was born in Jiujiang County，Jiangxi Province.Dissatisfied with the politics of his time，he resigned from his post as magistrate of Pengze County.He retired to his home village and lived there for the next twenty-three years till his death.This piece of writing is regarded as one of the earliest pieces about Utopianism in Chinese literature.

[2]Taiyuan was the title of the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty （376-396）.

[3]Wuling is today's Changde City，Hunan Province.

[4]Nanyang is today's Nanyang City，Henan Province.

翻译体会：

一、翻译策略

笔者对这篇散文中与中国传统文化有关的因素（如年号、地名等）以及“象”（如桃花源、桃花林、落英、屋舍、良田、美池、桑竹等）的翻译均采用异化法。“通过异化法翻译出来的“象”，才是原汁原味的，读者由此产生的联想才可能是最接近原文意旨的联想，体会到的意境也更贴近原文所欲传达的意境。”[2]（李洁，2007）在具体实施异化法翻译策略时，对那些可能造成读者理解困难的因素采取直译和文后加注解释。比如：把年号“太元”和地名“武陵、南阳”分别直译为“Taiyuan”“Wuling”“Nanyang”，再在文后加注解释。对“象”桃花源、桃花林、落英分别直译为“Peach Blossom Spring” “a grove of peach trees in blossom” “falling peach petals”。对大多数中西句法一致直译不会造成理解难度的句子也采用直译法，比如：“晋太元中，武陵人捕鱼为业；缘溪行，忘路之远近。忽逢桃花林。夹岸数百步，中无杂树，芳草鲜美，复前行，欲穷其林。便舍船从口入初极狭，才通人。复行数十步，豁然开朗。土地平旷，屋舍俨然，有良田、美池、桑竹之属，阡陌交通，鸡犬相闻”等句都采用直译。

除了直译的，对有些直译不好理解的词句采用意译法，比如：“落英缤纷”、“黄发垂髫”的翻译。关于“落英缤纷”的翻译笔者想在这里仔细探讨一下。笔者在翻译时参考了好几个人的译文：有人翻译为“peach petals fell in riotous profusion”，笔者认为“riotous”这个词用的不好，有贬义；A.R.Davis译为“fallen blossom lay in profusion”；林语堂译为“the beautifully grassy ground was covered with its rose petals”；方重译为“Here and there falling blossoms were dancing gracefully in a thousand hues”；奈达译为“the fallen blossoms carpeted the ground”。以上除了方重的译文其他人的译文都是静态的，没有充分译出“缤纷”二字所体现出来的那种既有凌乱、丰富，又有花瓣轻盈飘落时的动态意味。只有方重把这种动感译出来了，他采用比拟的修辞格把落花拟人化，把花瓣的飘落比作花瓣的轻盈妩媚万般姿态地舞动。所以这句笔者借鉴了他的译文。然后是关于“黄发垂髫”的翻译.首先是它的理解。释义 黄发：老年人头发由白转黄，后常用指老人。垂髫：古时童子未冠者头发下垂，后常用指儿童。指老人和儿童，即老老少少。出处 《诗经·鲁颂·閟宫》：“黄发台背。”晋·潘岳《藉田赋》：“垂髫总发。” A.R.Davis译为“The white-haired and the children with their hair in tufts”； 方重译为“The yellow-tressed梳成发髻的 old folk and the youngsters with flowing hair”，两人都是直译，笔者觉得倒影响外国读者的理解。不如像林语堂一样意译为简单“the old men and children”好，笔者采用后者。奈達的对这句的翻译是“Both the grey-haired people and the children wore their hair tresses”，完全直译。可见他根本就不理解“黄发垂髫”的本义和代表的意思，这可能是他对中国的古代文化不熟悉所致。

二、具体词句的翻译

1.“ 渔人甚异之”这句中的“异”笔者认为既有“惊讶、惊异”之意，又有“好奇”的意思。A.R.Davis译为“The fisherman，in extreme wonder”，林语堂译为“noticed with surprise”，方重译为“The fisherman was beside himself with amazement”，奈达译为“The fisherman was filled with wonder”。Surprise和amazement都只有“惊讶、惊异”之意，没有“好奇”的意思，而 wonder则具备两层意思。所以笔者借鉴A.R.Davis的译法。

2.“其中往来种作”，笔者认为“往来”是指居民在道路上往来穿梭行走，而“种作”是其他居民在路边田间耕种劳作。奈达对这句的翻译为“The people moved to and fro as they worked on the farms.”他理解为人们在田里劳动时来回移动，笔者认为很不妥。所以，笔者译为“Some inhabitants were traveling on the paths，while others were busy with farm work In the fields.”

3.“男女衣着，悉如外人”，这里指人们的衣着打扮在武陵渔人看来比较奇特，就像译为“among them were entirely like those of people outside”，林语堂译为“The dresses of the men and women were like those of the outside world”，方重译为“All the inhabitants ...in the same manner as the people outside，” 奈达译为“All the men and women were dressed in strange garments，like some foreigners”。前四人都使用“outside”一词，“outside”指桃花源以外的呢还是指武陵渔人所在的晋朝以外的外邦呢？所以这个词有歧义。笔者很认同奈达的翻译。

4“皆叹惋”一句中的“叹”字应该理解为惊讶（时事变化如此之快及朝代的更替如此频繁），而不是叹息。有人译文“They sighed.”，A.R.Davis译为“at everything they sighed with grief”，林语堂译为“T hey heard with great amazement”，方重译为“they could not help being deeply affected”。笔者借鉴林语堂的译法。

三、古典散文意境的传译

1.情感的传达。意境是情景交融的产物，没有情感的投入，不可能有意境的显现。中国古典诗歌大都是寄情与景、情景交融，表达十分含蓄。诗人在创造“意境”的同时，就投注了他的喜怒哀乐种种感情，从这个角度讲，“一切景语皆情语也。” 为了含蓄起见，诗人大多借助有关物象来抒发感情和托物言志。可见，“情”是意境的主导因素。所以译者一定要将原作所抒发的情感忠实传达出来。

《桃花源记》这篇散文寄托着作者心灵深处的追求和向往，也饱含着作者的愤世嫉俗。如何更好地传达情感，借李洁的话说“情动于中而形于言”。（1）具体来讲，翻译意境就是贵在探幽发微，于细微毫末处见精神，作者的思想感情往往就寄托在一词一字上，生动传神的词汇的选用和锤炼对传达意境非常重要。这点在上文中已探讨过。（2）古典散文句式精炼，用词简约，含蓄深沉，需要读者积极地参与思考来“补白”。而译文读者很难做到这点，所以就需要译者在译文中增词阐释补充。

2.象的再现。一切文学艺术，都是以具体生动的艺术形象去反映社会生活的。古典散文也不例外。形象是古典散文的精髓。诗人通过比喻、拟人等手段来刻画作品中鲜明生动的艺术形象，从而在文中创设了优美的意境。

3.象外之象。唐代刘禹锡曾说：“境生于象外，故精而寡和。”“象外之象”中的第一个“象”指作者在文中所创作的真实的艺术形象，而后一个“象”指由第一个“象”所引发读者的想像和联想的虚假的艺术空间。中国古典散文含蓄而意蕴悠远，读者要能透过有限的文字，展开无限的联想或想象，意境就在这“言外”的想像中产生了。

参考文献：

[1]顾正阳.古诗词曲英译美学研究[M].上海大学出版社，2006.

[2]李洁，楊彬.中国古典艺术散文意境的传译[J].上海外语教学， 2007（1）.

[3]李雪萍.古诗英译中意境的忠实再现[J].内蒙古农业大学学报（社会科学版），2008（5）.