中國版的「心靈雞湯」：《于丹〈論語〉心得》及其英譯研究

Abstract

近年來不少中華傳統典籍的現代解讀本面世，當中最為轟動的當屬2006年在中國大陸出版的《于丹〈論語〉心得》。有別於傳統一板一眼的《論語》解讀本，該書用通俗的語言，結合當時社會現實解讀《論語》，出版後隨即風行全國。然而，有不少學者認為該書誤讀《論語》，只是利用《論語》來表達作者于丹的「心靈雞湯」。因廣受歡迎，2009年該書英譯本Confucius from the Heart出版，為建國後為數不多的版權輸出範例，後來出版的二十多種語言譯本亦以此英譯本為源文來翻譯。從《論語》到《于丹〈論語〉心得》，這是文言文翻譯到現代漢語，在時間上跨越了中國的古與今；從《于丹〈論語〉心得》到Confucius from the Heart，這是由中文翻譯到英文，在空間上跨越了中華文化與西方文化。本研究審視《于丹〈論語〉心得》及其英譯本如何挪用勵志書的模式重新「翻譯」了《論語》。 本研究採用描述性研究，透過文本分析，以勒菲弗爾的翻譯理論為架構，從蜜琪•麥克吉，珊卓拉•K•多爾比和海蒂•瑪莉•里梅克三位學者的勵志書理論出發，分析上述兩度翻譯中意識形態及詩學特徵的轉變，檢視相關贊助人在兩書的翻譯及出版過程中的角色。研究發現，《于丹〈論語〉心得》在意識形態及詩學特徵上帶有明顯的勵志書色彩，從該書的包裝和行銷可看出其勵志書的特色及贊助人的作用。Confucius from the Heart亦有反映甚至強化源文的勵志書色彩，但在呈現源文詩學特徵上既有佳譯亦有文學性丟失之處。作為中書英譯，其版權輸出的過程更加突顯贊助人的重要作用。Many interpretations of Chinese classics have been undertaken in recent years, among which Yu Dan’s Reflection on The Analects published in Mainland China in 2006, may be the most influential. This work differs from traditional interpretations by the manner in which it links The Analects to situations occurring in the contemporary Chinese society, explaining the passages of this classical text in a colloquial way. The book was an instant hit that quickly turned into a best seller in China. However, many scholars argued that the author Yu Dan misinterpreted Confucian thoughts, taking advantage of The Analects to express her own Chicken Soup for the Soul. The book’s popularity nevertheless caught the attention of international publishers and was soon translated into English as Confucius from the Heart published in 2009. Translations in more than twenty languages quickly followed based on this English version. In addition, the sale of the English copyright of the book to the western world has been regarded as one of the major successes in China’s publishing industry. Yu Dan’s Reflection on The Analects is an intralingual rewriting of The Analects from classic Chinese to modern Chinese, while Confucius from the Heart is an interlingual translation from Chinese into English. The former thus represents diachronic temporal transfer from ancient China into modern China, whereas the latter synchronic spatial transfer from the Chinese source culture into a western target culture. This research examines how Yu Dan’s Reflection on The Analects and its English translation applied the genre of self-help books to “translate” The Analects. This thesis adopts the descriptive research approach of translation studies. This approach draws on André Lefevere’s translation theory in its analysis of the shifts in ideology and poetics that occur in both two translations above, checking whether those shifts match the self-help book theories of Micki McGee, Sandra K. Dolby and Heidi Marie Rimke. Moreover, the roles played by patrons in the course of each translation are also considered. The results show that Yu Dan’s Reflection on The Analects contains features of the self-help book model in terms of ideology and poetics; the cover, layout and marketing strategies undertaken by its Chinese patrons also support this contention. On the other hand, Confucius from the Heart exhibits an intensification of the source text’s self-help book characteristics. As a Chinese-to-English translation the book contains many examples of exemplary translation while also suffers some losses to the “universe of discourse” associated with ancient Chinese literature and modern Chinese society as well as omissions of certain Chinese rhetorical devices. Additionally, the essential role played by patrons in the translation process and sale of the English copyright is elucidated.