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Article published In: Babel
Vol. 69:3 (2023) ► pp.375–397

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Paratexts as a site of cultural reflection

James Legge and Wang Tao’s collaborative translation of The Chinese Classics

 | Graduate Institute of Interpretation and Translation (GIIT), Shanghai International Studies University
 | Graduate Institute of Interpretation and Translation (GIIT), Shanghai International Studies University | Shanghai Institute of Technology
Published online: 15 June 2023
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https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00324.mor
Abstract
In the Ming and Qing dynasties the translation of Western books fueled the phenomenon known as Eastward Transmission of Western Sciences. In this context, the collaborative translation of The Chinese Classics by James Legge (1815–1897) and Wang Tao (1828–1897) was of particular significance because it promoted the transmission of Eastern learning to the West in the late Qing dynasty. This process of collaborative translation provided an opportunity for cultural interaction between China and the West; at the same time, it also generated competition between the two cultures. This paper sets out to investigate the paratexts written by the two co-translators, namely Legge and Wang, and aims to answer the following questions: How did the translation process of The Chinese Classics generate a dialectical interaction and why did it create a cultural struggle between the two translators? What impact did such a cultural collision exert on the translation and interpretation of The Chinese Classics and its reception in the West?
Résumé
Sous les dynasties Ming et Qing, la traduction de livres occidentaux a alimenté le phénomène connu sous le nom de diffusion des savoirs occidentaux en Orient. Dans ce contexte, la traduction collaborative de The Chinese Classics par James Legge (1815–1897) et Wang Tao (1828–1897) a revêtu une importance particulière car elle a favorisé la diffusion des savoirs orientaux à l’Occident à la fin de la dynastie Qing. Ce processus de traduction collaborative a fourni une opportunité d’interaction culturelle entre la Chine et l’Occident ; en même temps, cela a également généré une concurrence entre les deux cultures. Cet article se propose d’étudier les paratextes écrits par les deux co-traducteurs, à savoir Legge et Wang, et vise à répondre aux questions suivantes : Comment le processus de traduction de The Chinese Classics a-t-il généré une interaction dialectique et pourquoi a-t-il créé une lutte culturelle entre les deux traducteurs ? Quel impact une telle collision culturelle a-t-elle exercé sur la traduction et l’interprétation de The Chinese Classics et sa réception en Occident ?
Article outline
  • The translation of The Chinese Classics in the late Qing dynasty
  • Wang Tao’s role as assistant translator
  • Cultural collision between East and West in Legge’s translations
  • Conclusion: The significance of the translation of The Chinese Classics in the history of the cultural exchanges between China and the West
  • Notes
  • References
References (39)
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