《桃花源記》英譯及翻譯體會

【摘要】本文探討了中國古典散文《桃花源記》的英譯，并著重從翻譯策略、具體詞句的翻譯及古典散文意境的傳譯三個層面談談筆者在翻譯中的體會。

【關鍵詞】《桃花源記》英譯 翻譯體會 翻譯策略 具體詞句的翻譯 古典散文意境的傳譯

【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

譯文：

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.

翻譯體會：

一、翻譯策略

筆者對這篇散文中與中國傳統文化有關的因素（如年號、地名等）以及“象”（如桃花源、桃花林、落英、屋舍、良田、美池、桑竹等）的翻譯均采用異化法?！巴ㄟ^異化法翻譯出來的“象”，才是原汁原味的，讀者由此產生的聯想才可能是最接近原文意旨的聯想，體會到的意境也更貼近原文所欲傳達的意境。”[2]（李潔，2007）在具體實施異化法翻譯策略時，對那些可能造成讀者理解困難的因素采取直譯和文后加注解釋。比如：把年號“太元”和地名“武陵、南陽”分別直譯為“Taiyuan”“Wuling”“Nanyang”，再在文后加注解釋。對“象”桃花源、桃花林、落英分別直譯為“Peach Blossom Spring” “a grove of peach trees in blossom” “falling peach petals”。對大多數中西句法一致直譯不會造成理解難度的句子也采用直譯法，比如：“晉太元中，武陵人捕魚為業；緣溪行，忘路之遠近。忽逢桃花林。夾岸數百步，中無雜樹，芳草鮮美，復前行，欲窮其林。便舍船從口入初極狹，才通人。復行數十步，豁然開朗。土地平曠，屋舍儼然，有良田、美池、桑竹之屬，阡陌交通，雞犬相聞”等句都采用直譯。

除了直譯的，對有些直譯不好理解的詞句采用意譯法，比如：“落英繽紛”、“黃發垂髫”的翻譯。關于“落英繽紛”的翻譯筆者想在這里仔細探討一下。筆者在翻譯時參考了好幾個人的譯文：有人翻譯為“peach petals fell in riotous profusion”，筆者認為“riotous”這個詞用的不好，有貶義；A.R.Davis譯為“fallen blossom lay in profusion”；林語堂譯為“the beautifully grassy ground was covered with its rose petals”；方重譯為“Here and there falling blossoms were dancing gracefully in a thousand hues”；奈達譯為“the fallen blossoms carpeted the ground”。以上除了方重的譯文其他人的譯文都是靜態的，沒有充分譯出“繽紛”二字所體現出來的那種既有凌亂、豐富，又有花瓣輕盈飄落時的動態意味。只有方重把這種動感譯出來了，他采用比擬的修辭格把落花擬人化，把花瓣的飄落比作花瓣的輕盈嫵媚萬般姿態地舞動。所以這句筆者借鑒了他的譯文。然后是關于“黃發垂髫”的翻譯.首先是它的理解。釋義 黃發：老年人頭發由白轉黃，后常用指老人。垂髫：古時童子未冠者頭發下垂，后常用指兒童。指老人和兒童，即老老少少。出處 《詩經·魯頌·閟宮》：“黃發臺背?！睍x·潘岳《藉田賦》：“垂髫總發?！?A.R.Davis譯為“The white-haired and the children with their hair in tufts”； 方重譯為“The yellow-tressed梳成發髻的 old folk and the youngsters with flowing hair”，兩人都是直譯，筆者覺得倒影響外國讀者的理解。不如像林語堂一樣意譯為簡單“the old men and children”好，筆者采用后者。奈達的對這句的翻譯是“Both the grey-haired people and the children wore their hair tresses”，完全直譯?？梢娝揪筒焕斫狻包S發垂髫”的本義和代表的意思，這可能是他對中國的古代文化不熟悉所致。

二、具體詞句的翻譯

1.“ 漁人甚異之”這句中的“異”筆者認為既有“驚訝、驚異”之意，又有“好奇”的意思。A.R.Davis譯為“The fisherman，in extreme wonder”，林語堂譯為“noticed with surprise”，方重譯為“The fisherman was beside himself with amazement”，奈達譯為“The fisherman was filled with wonder”。Surprise和amazement都只有“驚訝、驚異”之意，沒有“好奇”的意思，而 wonder則具備兩層意思。所以筆者借鑒A.R.Davis的譯法。

2.“其中往來種作”，筆者認為“往來”是指居民在道路上往來穿梭行走，而“種作”是其他居民在路邊田間耕種勞作。奈達對這句的翻譯為“The people moved to and fro as they worked on the farms.”他理解為人們在田里勞動時來回移動，筆者認為很不妥。所以，筆者譯為“Some inhabitants were traveling on the paths，while others were busy with farm work In the fields.”

3.“男女衣著，悉如外人”，這里指人們的衣著打扮在武陵漁人看來比較奇特，就像譯為“among them were entirely like those of people outside”，林語堂譯為“The dresses of the men and women were like those of the outside world”，方重譯為“All the inhabitants ...in the same manner as the people outside，” 奈達譯為“All the men and women were dressed in strange garments，like some foreigners”。前四人都使用“outside”一詞，“outside”指桃花源以外的呢還是指武陵漁人所在的晉朝以外的外邦呢？所以這個詞有歧義。筆者很認同奈達的翻譯。

4“皆嘆惋”一句中的“嘆”字應該理解為驚訝（時事變化如此之快及朝代的更替如此頻繁），而不是嘆息。有人譯文“They sighed.”，A.R.Davis譯為“at everything they sighed with grief”，林語堂譯為“T hey heard with great amazement”，方重譯為“they could not help being deeply affected”。筆者借鑒林語堂的譯法。

三、古典散文意境的傳譯

1.情感的傳達。意境是情景交融的產物，沒有情感的投入，不可能有意境的顯現。中國古典詩歌大都是寄情與景、情景交融，表達十分含蓄。詩人在創造“意境”的同時，就投注了他的喜怒哀樂種種感情，從這個角度講，“一切景語皆情語也?！?為了含蓄起見，詩人大多借助有關物象來抒發感情和托物言志。可見，“情”是意境的主導因素。所以譯者一定要將原作所抒發的情感忠實傳達出來。

《桃花源記》這篇散文寄托著作者心靈深處的追求和向往，也飽含著作者的憤世嫉俗。如何更好地傳達情感，借李潔的話說“情動于中而形于言”。（1）具體來講，翻譯意境就是貴在探幽發微，于細微毫末處見精神，作者的思想感情往往就寄托在一詞一字上，生動傳神的詞匯的選用和錘煉對傳達意境非常重要。這點在上文中已探討過。（2）古典散文句式精煉，用詞簡約，含蓄深沉，需要讀者積極地參與思考來“補白”。而譯文讀者很難做到這點，所以就需要譯者在譯文中增詞闡釋補充。

2.象的再現。一切文學藝術，都是以具體生動的藝術形象去反映社會生活的。古典散文也不例外。形象是古典散文的精髓。詩人通過比喻、擬人等手段來刻畫作品中鮮明生動的藝術形象，從而在文中創設了優美的意境。

3.象外之象。唐代劉禹錫曾說：“境生于象外，故精而寡和?！薄跋笸庵蟆敝械牡谝粋€“象”指作者在文中所創作的真實的藝術形象，而后一個“象”指由第一個“象”所引發讀者的想像和聯想的虛假的藝術空間。中國古典散文含蓄而意蘊悠遠，讀者要能透過有限的文字，展開無限的聯想或想象，意境就在這“言外”的想像中產生了。

參考文獻：

[1]顧正陽.古詩詞曲英譯美學研究[M].上海大學出版社，2006.

[2]李潔，楊彬.中國古典藝術散文意境的傳譯[J].上海外語教學， 2007（1）.

[3]李雪萍.古詩英譯中意境的忠實再現[J].內蒙古農業大學學報（社會科學版），2008（5）.