On Translation of Traditional Chinese Tuina Text from the Perspective of Skopos Theory

Lei Feng

Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China

Email: lfeng@bjtu.edu.cn

Ying Wang

Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China

Email: wyliugou97@126.com

Li He

Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China

Email: heli@bjtu.edu.cn

[Abstract] Tuina therapy is an external treatment method of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the translation studies of it is of great significance in the context of Chinese culture’s going global. At present, translation studies on this treatment method still focus on the terms, with a whole text drawing less attention. Since skopos theory is often applied to TCM translation study, the author is going to make a research on translation of tuina texts. According to three rules of the theory—skopos rule, coherence rule and loyalty rule—different translation methods will be discussed respectively from the level of words, phrases and sentences.

[Keywords] Tradition Chinese tuina; Skopos theory; Translation method

Introduction

Tuina, guided by TCM basic theories, is a treatment method used for preventing or curing diseases by tuina manipulations or certain tools acting on points or parts of human body (Li, 2002). As people pursue a healthier lifestyle, non-invasive treatment methods including tuina are much more valued and tuina therapy enjoys more popularity in the medical field (Li & Zhai, 2012). Thus, traditional Chinese tuina, an integral part of TCM, deserves to be promoted overseas. And translating or studying the translation of tuina texts can not only help spread this highly-regarded therapy, but also benefits people in other countries by letting them know outstanding Chinese medicine.

However, although some studies pay attention to the translation of terms of tuina therapy such as manipulations or points (Ye & Fang, 2017; Yang & Li, 2016; Li & Li, 2007; Ye, Ge & Chen, 2006; Li et al., 2005), translation studies on this therapy from a whole text’s level are fewer, not to mention the study of some theories’ guidance to its translation. Since skopos theory is often used to analyze the translation of TCM terms or texts (Zhao & Liu, 2011; Gao, 2014; Zhang, 2019), this thesis studies the translation of a tuina text under the guidance of it and attempt to find proper translation methods for tuina texts.

Overview of Skopos Theory

Skopos theory, put forward by Vermeer and Nord, is the mainstream of functionalist translation theory(Jia, 2004, p. 46). Skopists have proposed three rules that translators should abide by in translation process, and the first one is skopos rule which refers to the communicative object of the target text (Jia, 2004, p. 52). Vermeer (1996) thought that translation activity should observe a series of rules among which the “skopos rule” is the primary one. Nord pointed out that Skopos usually refers to the purpose of the target text (Nord, 2001, p. 28), namely the communicative function that target text intends to achieve in that society and culture. She also believed that the translation purpose justifies the translation process, and “the end justifies the means” (Nord, 2001, p. 124).

The next two rules are coherence rule and loyalty rule. Coherence rule means that the target text must achieve intra-textural coherence, in other words, it must be comprehensible and readable, and make sense in the communicative context of target text (Jia, 2004, p. 52). In details, in order to make the translation readily understood, readers’ability to understand, language using habits and knowledge background must be taken into account. Loyalty rule refers to that translators shall be loyal to the source text and its author, and it means that the purpose of the target text should be compatible with the author’s intention (Nord, 2001, p. 125). It advocates that the target text should conform to the main idea of source text so that the message in it could reappear (Yu, Gao & Yin, 2017, p. 1468). So translators need to not only be responsible to readers, but also respect the author. These three rules have the following relationship: loyalty rule is subordinate to coherence rule, and these two are subordinate to skopos rule (Jia, 2004, p. 52).

Language Features of Tuina Texts and the Implications to Translation

Characteristics of words and phrases

Obviously, there’re abundant terms in the field of tuina therapy including those about points and manipulations. Besides, there exist TCM terms in other aspects which are mainly those containing TCM theories, since the selection of points and tuina techniques are all based on such TCM basic theories as five elements theory and visceral syndrome differentiation.

In translation, cultural default is unavoidable due to the difference of history, religion and way of thinking between countries. Culture-loaded words are those that don’t have equivalents in target language (Bao & Bao, 2004, p. 10). As traditional Chinese medicine is hugely different from modern medicine in culture and value, TCM terms, with profound culture embodied by TCM theories in them, or terms of points and manipulations can be seen as cultureloaded words. And the translation of these parts has a great influence on whether the target text could achieve its purpose.

Characteristics of sentences

Sentences, because of TCM theories, are abstract and obscure, and there is other information under the surface. Shi and Wang (2015, p. 373) have believed that the ambiguity brought by obscure and abstract languages, and the cultural default in the source text makes TCM translation more difficult, thus, “some annotations are necessary”. Additionally, in this informative text about tuina therapy, descriptive sentences are often added to reinforce the understanding of some points or manipulations.

Besides, run-on sentences in the text about tuina therapy are plentiful and most of them are composed of fourcharacter phrases among which there’re no connectives. Since TCM dates back to ancient China, the language, affected by the whole thinking of Chinese people through the ages, prefers parataxis and that’s why less explicit linking devices are used to manifest the logical relations in a sentence. On the other hand, although the existence of four-character structure phrases makes the whole text seem to be concise, actually some involve the repetition of their components. However, in order to keep the neat form and rhythm, the repetition is maintained.

The Translation of Tuina Texts Guided by Skopos Theory

The three rules of skopos theory are not independent, for the coherence rule and loyalty rule are premised on the basis of skopos rule. In this section, the author will explain the translation methods or techniques according to different rules with those methods aiming to help the target text achieve its communicative purpose and to ensure intra-textual coherence and loyalty to the source text’s meaning.

Skopos rule

To observe it, the translator shall take proper strategies according to target text’s expected purpose and function in the language and cultural environment of the target language (Gao, 2014, p. 127). The purpose of translating tuina texts is to spread this therapy and TCM culture to ordinary foreign readers. Since traditional Chinese tuina is practicable, the intended function of the target text is to make readers acquainted with it, to help them know certain points and their clinical applications and even use basic manipulations to treat illness.

Words and phrases: literal translation and annotation/ transliteration and addition.

The reason why patients open the eyes wide and look at something squarely with few movements is the sign of liver wind stirring up internally.

Note: Liver has a corresponding season that is spring when there’re many windy days. So liver is the organ similar to wind and wood both of which tend to move and develop. And in most cases, dizziness, tremor and twitch, can be categorized as liver wind stirring up internally.

The phrase “肝风内动” is a term in visceral syndrome differentiation. Connecting liver, the organ, with wind, it looks abstract. So behind it there exists profound TCM culture, and to spread it abroad, annotation is necessary.

In the above three examples, Yangchi’s location is indicated in bracketed addition, and the shapes of the last two points are also manifested through the addition of “arc” and “circle”.

Sentences: addition.

In most cases, languages in the text are succinct and there usually exists other information in a short sentence that’s indispensable to target readers. Thus, if those implicit messages weren’t be added, the main idea couldn’t be conveyed accurately, which leads to the failure of the target text to spread TCM culture and knowledge of tuina therapy.

In terms of the time in a day, the daytime is considered as yang and the night yin. The period between six o’clock in the morning and twelve of mid-noon is the yang aspect of yang...

In the beginning, yin means the place which turns back to the sun, while yang facing the sun. Afterwards, the two opposite concepts were expanded to the medical field—yang is marked by light, warmth and dryness, yin by dark, cold, wetness. Thus, compared with night, the daytime is yang, and night is yin. Since most Chinese people are familiar with the two concepts, they can easily understand the source text. Yet yang aspect of yang seems a little far to reach. So the first sentence in the target text which explains what is yin and what is yang briefly is better to be added. In this way, the TCM culture of yin-yang theory can go into reader’s mind more easily.

Coherence rule

This rule requires the source text to be readable and to make sense in the target text’s view. Therefore, terms and sentences embodying profound TCM culture need explaining to make the target text comprehensible. And considering the modern medicine background of receivers, those distinctive languages must be related to what they’re familiar to. Also, the linguistic form should also be taken into account so that the target text could comply with the grammatical requirement of target language.

Words and phrases: literal translation and annotation.

If deficiency-fire flames upward due to the lack of kidney yin, it’s no use taking general approaches to clearing heat. To reduce the deficiency-fire, it is a must to enrich the kidney water by applying tonifying manipulation to Shenxue (Kidney Meridian Line).

Note: Due to the deficiency of kidney yin, deficiency-fire flaming upward is manifested by symptoms such as sore throat, dizziness, ear ringing, conjunctival hyperemia and so on.

In this example, a TCM term called deficiency-fire flames upward is hard to comprehend for foreign readers, and with only literal translation, they can’t truly understand when to clear deficiency fire through the method of tonifying Shenxue. Thus, only with the annotation which helps compensate cultural default can this term make sense in readers’ cultural background.

Sentences: addition/omission.

When the practitioner presses the nearby area with one finger, a bean-sized nodule of tendon could be felt, much force on which leads to the feeling of stiffness and soreness.

The Chinese sentence obviously lacks subject, yet English has strict subject-predicate structure. Thus, the subject needs to be added.

Clearing manipulation on this line is used for dealing with dry feces since the main benefit of it is to promote urine excretion and make defecation easy.

In the source text, among the four clauses are only comas, and the logical relationship between them can only be identified by the meaning. Yet English, as a hypotactic language, prefers to use specific linking devices to put elements together. Thus, two connectives “since” and “and” appear in the target text to mark the respectively causal and coordinative relations.

On the other hand, it’s better to omit what may increase the burden of readers.

Location: It is at the depression of where the hand joins forearm, the middle of the transverse crease which appears if the hand is flexed backward.

In this example, an acupoint was introduced as reference to explain the location of“一窝风(Yiwofeng,Whirwind Point)”more clearly. But target readers, in general, don’t have such background. So explaining it in the same way in the target text will surely add to their burden of understanding and will make the text less readable. In such a case, this part is better to be deleted.

The repetition is what should be omitted, too.

The manipulation on Neibagua is called arc-pushing which is to push the circle clockwise repeatedly, from qian to kan.

This is about the manipulation on Neibagua (Interior Bagua Circle). It is a circle in shape, so “周而复始” (push it repeatedly) means the same with “旋转摩擦之” (rotate and rub on it). Thus, the translator didn’t express both of them in the target text in order to maintain its readability.

Loyalty rule

Under loyalty rule’s guidance, the target-text purpose should be compatible with the original author’s intention, and this rule is based on the former two rules. In the translation of tuina texts, to observe loyalty rule is to pass the professional TCM knowledge with the language that readers think is comprehensible, on the basis of communicating TCM culture to them, which is the intended purpose.

Words and phrases: transliteration and annotation/ omission.

In addition, push from Yintang, with two thumbs, to Taiyang and Taiyin respectively, then twist and knead the child’s earlobes.

Note: Taiyang (greater yang) and Taiyin (greater yin) are located at the two sides of the forehead, on the depression area behind the end of eyebrows. The left one is called Taiyang, the right one Taiyin.

In tuina texts, some culture-loaded words have more than one meaning, Taiyin and Taiyang an example. Here they refer to two points behind the eyebrows. The translator explained their location in the note so as to reproduce the meaning of the source text. In this way, readers can know their exact locations and then grasp the way to practice this manipulation, which is the purpose of target text. Meanwhile, it is also accommodating readers’ lack of the background knowledge, which shows that the coherence rule is observed.

In the tuina text, many phrases, especially those consisting of four characters, are symmetrical, with two words in a phrase being synonyms. In the above two phrases, since “开” and “利” mean the same, and “平” and “清” refer to the same manipulation, only two verbs are kept in the English version. Since doing so can reproduce the original meaning and deleting the redundant verbs make the text concise and more readable, thus it also embodies the coherence rule.

Sentences: addition.

As young children can’t describe the condition of diseases on their own, pediatric department is considered as the one for dumb people, thus the diagnostic methods have unique characteristics.

In order to follow the loyalty rule, the translator shall completely convey the author’s intention, and at the same time try not to cause misunderstanding to promote the readability. In this example, the reason why “pediatric department is like the one for dumb people” is added at first. Then the target text is more acceptable and can reproduce the original meaning.

Conclusion

This thesis analyzes the translation of tuina texts under the guidance of skopos theory. First of all, according to skopos rule, in order to spread TCM culture and tuina knowledge, the cultural background behind TCM terms needs to be overt, and the location or shapes of tuina points are better to show up in translation, and so do other implicit information. The translation methods include literal translation and annotation, transliteration and addition. To follow the coherence rule, the translator shall take into account readers’cultural background and language using habits, so the translation of terms or sentences with TCM characteristics is better to be closer to readers’cognition or modern science, at this time, literal translation and annotation can be applied. While to deal with sentences without subjects and run-on sentences, the translator should add subjects and connectives, based on English grammar. And to handle the part that increase reader’s workload and that contains repetition can be omitted. In the end, when abiding by loyalty rule, the TCM and tuina knowledge passed on to readers should be as correct as the source text, with languages comprehensible for receivers. In summary, for words or phrases, there’re various translation methods including transliteration, annotation, addition and omission, while for sentences, addition is also a good choice, although sometimes omitting is also needed. From these, skopos theory’s three rules are beneficial to the translation of traditional Chinese tuina and could promote the going global of TCM culture and this therapy.