The English Translation Text：The Tower of Yueyang

范仲淹　译 胡骁

Abstract：Translation serves for communication， for prompting mutual understanding，and for cultural exchange. What has been perhaps sensed by many is that the translation of literary texts of ancient Chinese is the most to deal with in the process of translation practice，the translated texts of which can be regarded as the bridge cross which foreigners will be capable of understanding and savoring the charm and flavor of the Chinese culture.With the development of Chinese economy as well as the deepening of the Reform and Opening-up Policy， the intercourse between China and other countries in the world has become more frequent than ever before，which gives rise to a need to let more and more foreigners better understand Chinese culture. Literary texts of ancient Chinese，in which thoughts and moral values of ancient Chinese people are recorded， can in a sense be seen as a mirror reflecting Chinese culture， through the translation of which to English is helpful to prompt the spread of Chinese culture to all the world，bestowing a special meaning on the translation practice that cannot be ignored，so to speak.To let readers better understand it， the author will take his own translated text of the famous ancient Chinese prose，the Tower of Yueyang for example.

Key words：Chinese culture， literary texts， the Tower of Yueyang

In the spring of the fourth year of the reign Qingli， Teng Zijing was politically degraded and transferred to Baling County， where he took office. When the next year came， the local politics went smoothly while its people lived harmoniously， which caused to renew all kinds of undertakings that were formerly dismissed. Accordingly， the Tower of Yueyang was rebuilt， whose scale was expanded； and on which poems and essays written by famous literati of the Tang Dynasty and those who lived in present times were inscribed， of which I was told to write to keep an account.

Seen from my personal perspective， the beauty and magnificence of the Baling County all lies in the Dongting Lake. Mountains afar are ensphered by the said lake， by which flowing water from the Yangtze River is swallowed up. Vast and magnificent， the surface of the lake is wide to rimless， whose scenery changes with the morning sunlight and the eventide gloom， respectively decorated by different and changeable weather of a day. All of these belong to the splendid view of the Tower of Yueyang， which has been in detail given accounts of by the former literati. Nevertheless， to the north where the lake here leads is the Wuxia Gorge， while to the south the Xiaoshui River and the Xiangjiang River. Its a place where those who have been politically degraded and transferred together with poets often gather， whose sensations aroused at the sight of the natural scenery may perhaps differ.

When it comes to the incessant rain， its wont to continue for a whole day， a duration in which winds are wuthering furiously and turbid waves are splashed high into the sky. Its a time when the sun and stars conceal their radiance， while high mountains hide their figures. Its a time when businessmen and travelers cannot pass through， with masts toppling down and oars snapped. The weather glooms with the arriving of the eventide， when roars of tigers and whines of apes are heard. Ascending the tower in this situation， aroused from the mind is a kind of sensation； one that is of leaving the capital and homesickness， with the worry about slanders and the fright of sniggers； everything is desolate and depressed， and thats what now comes into view for the most part； and then your sentimentality must reach its climax， which reduces you to nothing but sadness.

As for sunny spring days with moderate breezes， the surface of the lake is like a mirror with no waves， which is a time when the surface and the sky are together linked， causing a patch of green that is wide and vast； and when aquatic birds now fly and now perch on branches， and good-looking fish in the water now emerges and now sinks； and when on banks there are sweet grass，while on shoals orchids， widespreadly filled with whose greenness and diffused with whose fragrance. The fog of a large-scale totally dissolves sometimes， with the bright moonlight shining over for thousands of miles，which is a time when the surface of the lake undulates， and the moonlight reflected into the water like the gold scintillates； and when the surface of the lake is tranquilized， the moonlight reflected into the water is like a sunken jade. Now there sounds fishers singing， of whom one sings and the other will be repeating， the delight of which is limitless and everlasting. Ascending the tower in this situation， aroused from the mind is a kind of sensation； one that is of freshness and mental relaxation， with both glories and shames erased from the mind. Meanwhile，by drinking wine happily in the face of the wind，you will feel as if you were going to the seventh heaven.

Alas， Ive ever sought for thoughts and emotions of those ancient gentlemen who were noble-minded， whose feelings aroused when being here may differ from the two kinds aforementioned. So why？ Its because that they were the men who would neither be excited due to external gains， now be plunged into sadness because of personal losses. They were the men who would worry about plebeians life when taking office in the royal court， and who would worry about their honorable monarchs when in all corners of the country， far away from the royal court. Thus， they would be concerned and worried， when both taking office in the royal court and living afar in all corners of the country， retired and sequestered. Nonetheless， when shall they forget all anxieties and feel delighted？ As regards this， they absolutely would answer thus，‘To worry before plebeians worry， to enjoy only after plebeians could enjoy，wouldnt they？ Alack， with whom should I be together if this sort of people are nonexistent？

【Notes】

[1] The Tower of Yueyang： a famous place of interest that locates in the City of Yueyang， Hunan Province.

[2] Teng Zijing： an official of the Song Dynasty，who is the authors friend.

[3] Qingli： the designation of the reign of the emperor at that time（1041BC--1048BC）.

[4] Baling County： another appellation of the City of Yuezhou in ancient times，whose government office was in nowadays Yueyang.

[5] Wuxia Gorge：an important section of the Three Gorges of China，which flows through from Sichuan Province to Hubei Province.

[6] Xiaoshui River：the largest branch of the Xiang River in Hunan Province.

[7] Xiangjiang River：an important branch of the Yangtze River that flows through Hunan Province.

【譯者简介】

胡骁（1990—），汉族，单位：西南科技大学外国语学院。