顺应论视角下《文赋》两英译本翻译策略对比研究——以宇文所安和萨姆·哈米尔为例

The Comparative Study of Translation Strategies in Two English Versions of A Descriptive Poem on Literature from the Perspective of Adaptation Theory—A Case Study of Stephen Owen and Sam Hamill

摘要: 作为我国文学理论批评史上阐述文学创作原理的里程碑式著作，《文赋》对后世文学创作与批评产生了深远而广泛的影响。在全球“中国经典”研究热潮不断升温的背景下，《文赋》更是成为了海外学者探索中国文学理论不可或缺的关键命题。在《文赋》对外译介的进程中，宇文所安与萨姆·哈米尔的英译本脱颖而出，赢得了广泛读者和大量好评。在其他译本在海外几近“失语”的困境中，这两个译本的成功无疑为中国文论的海外传播指明了道路。本文立足于顺应论，聚焦于语言结构与语境结构两大维度，对比分析两位译者所采用的翻译策略，旨在揭示翻译实践如何更有效地推动中国古典传统文论的海外传播进程，助力中国在全球文化交流中掌握译介的主动权。研究发现，宇文所安的顺应意识程度较高，采用直译加注、补偿化手段来实现语用充实和语境补缺。而哈米尔顺应意识程度较低，倾向于采用创造性手法，以散文诗的形式对《文赋》进行再创作。

Abstract: A Descriptive Poem on Literature is a landmark work in the history of Chinese literary theory and criticism. Its influence on subsequent literary creation and criticism has been profound and far-reaching. With the global interest in “Chinese Classics” on the rise, A Descriptive Poem on Literature has become a key text for international scholars exploring Chinese literary theory. In the translation of this work for foreign audiences, the English versions by Stephen Owen and Sam Hamill have distinguished themselves, gaining a broad readership and substantial acclaim. While other translations have struggled to find an audience overseas, the success of these two versions offers valuable insights into the pathways for effectively promoting Chinese literary theory abroad. This paper, grounded in Adaptation Theory, focuses on linguistic and contextual structures to compare the translation strategies employed by these two translators. The analysis aims to reveal how translation practices can more effectively advance the international transmission of Chinese classical literary theory, supporting China’s proactive engagement in global cultural exchange. The study finds that Stephen Owen demonstrates a high degree of adaptive awareness, using literal translation with annotations and compensatory methods to achieve pragmatic enrichment and contextual supplementation. In contrast, Sam Hamill shows lower adaptive awareness, favoring a creative approach that reinterprets A Descriptive Poem on Literature as prose poetry.