OnBingxin’sTranslationTheoryfromthePerspectiveoftheRelationshipBetweenCreativeWritingandTranslation

【Abstrac】Bingxin， most renowned for her status as a master of Chinese literature， yet is rarely known as a famous translator in the modern history of China. Her over-60-year translation career depends on her creative writing， namely being her double identity as both writer and translator. This thesis aims to investigate the relationship between creative writing and translation for the writer and translator Bingxin and to summarize and analyze her unique translation theory under her special double identity.

【Key words】 Bingxin； translation theory； creative writing and translation； relationship

【作者簡介】刘馨媛，西华师范大学外国语学院。

Part I INTRODUCTION

Bingxin is one of the prominent Chinese female translators of the 20 century but unfortunately this identity is less familiar than another one-writer. One of the most characteristics of Chinese female translators in the 20th century is their double identity as both writer and translator. Bingxins double identity also exerted much influence on her cognition of translation.

PART II THE RELATIONSHIP

2.1 Bingxins creative writing influences her concept of translation

From January 1th， 1922， she began publishing short poems collection A Myriad of Stars on The Morning Post like The Stay Birds. It is the most direct and obvious influence of translation literature on Bingxins creation （Bingxin， 1959）. In Translation and Editing of Chinses female Ci poet Li Yian， a thesis for the bachelor degree in Wellesley College， she said it was impossible for an English translator to maintain the rhyming or rhythm in Chinese. The focus of poetry translation should also be alike in spirit rather than in appearance. Such idea derived from poetry writing deeply affected her concept of poetry translation.

2.2 Both creative writing and translation serves the same purpose

As early as 1920， Bingxin had clarified her purpose of translation and creation without conducting large-scale translation and creative activities. She said the purpose of translating a book or writing a book was by no means for yourself to read or for someone else who already knows the book. （Bingxin， 1959） In other words， her attitude toward translation and creation is for the readers who dont understand the original works. The same purpose of her creative writing and translation is obviously serving for the readers.

Part III BINGXINS TRANSLATION THEORY

From the relationship between Bingxins creative writing and translation the conclusion is that it is born with her special idea of translation.

3.1 Reader-oriented principle

This piece is the core principle of Bingxins translation theory. The main purpose of translation is to convey the beautiful things in the ST to readers. Bingxins translation works always give such feeling to her readers for the usage of simple and accurate colloquial writing in vernacular Chinese and amplification and adjustment of sentences that she used for Chinese readers to better absorb. （Lin Peixuan， 2001）

3.2 Fluent， true and elegant

The other piece can be concluded in the three words “Fluent， true and elegant”. First of all， “fluent” is the vital. In her article My View on Translation published in 1921 she noted since the translation was done， youd better make it fluent. The unnatural translation leads to the misunderstanding and the lack of fluency. Readers will lose interest in it finally （Lin Peixuan， 2001）. The accuracy and elegance of contents are also important. Bingxin said in My View on Translation the TT should try to avoid excessively expressing the idea of the translator. The target text should accurately convey the contents and the artistic conception of the source text.

PATT IV CONCLUSION

Bingxins creative writing and translation complement each other and consequently form a unique theory of translation- “reader-oriented” and “fluent， true and elegant” principles. Her creative writing influences her concept of translation and such idea benefits her translation works in her over-60-year translation career.

References：

[1]李树德.还原冰心在中國翻译史上的地位[J].东方翻译，2016（03）： 30-34.