翻译模因论视角下《浮生六记》中“闲适”美学在三译本中的表现型重构研究

A Study on the Phenotypic Reconstruction of the “Leisurely” Aesthetics in Three English Translations of Six Chapters of a Floating Life from the Perspective of Memetics

摘要: 《浮生六记》作为清代自传体文学的典范，以其独特的“闲适”美学意蕴打动了一代又一代读者。本文以切斯特曼的翻译模因论为理论框架，聚焦“表现型翻译模因”这一核心概念，考察《浮生六记》中“闲适”美学在林语堂、雪莉·布莱克及格雷厄姆·桑德斯三个英译本中的重构机制。研究发现，“闲适”美学在原文中体现为日常生活的审美化、性灵的自然抒发以及对世俗功利的超越性姿态。面对这一根植于中国传统文化语境的美学特质，三译本采取了不同的表现型重构策略：林语堂译本以“闲适对闲适”的同构性策略，实现美学精神的整体迁移；布莱克译本以“重组对散漫”的调适性策略，通过叙事重构传递闲适神韵；桑德斯译本则以“学术对诗意”的补偿性策略，借助副文本构建阐释框架。三种策略分别对应表现型模因的“风格同构”“异形同神”“形散神聚”三种形态。本研究揭示了翻译作为美学模因跨文化传播的复杂机制，表明“闲适”美学的翻译并非简单的内容传递，而是以目标语文化可接受的方式进行的“表现型重构”——在不同中求同，在变异中存神。

Abstract: As a model of autobiographical literature of the Qing Dynasty, Six Chapters of a Floating Life has captivated readers across generations with its unique aesthetic implication of “leisureliness”. Taking Chesterman’s Memetics of Translation as the theoretical framework and centering on the core concept of phenotypic translational memes, this paper explores the reconstructive mechanisms of the “leisureliness” aesthetics in three English versions translated by Lin Yutang, Shirley M. Black and Graham Sanders respectively. The study reveals that the aesthetics of leisureliness in the original text is manifested in the aestheticization of daily trivialities, the spontaneous expression of personal temperament, and a transcendent attitude away from worldly utilitarian pursuits. Confronted with such an aesthetic feature deeply rooted in traditional Chinese cultural context, the three translators adopt disparate strategies for phenotypic reconstruction. Lin Yutang employs an isomorphic strategy of matching leisureliness with leisureliness to realize the holistic transplantation of the original aesthetic spirit; Shirley Black applies an adaptive restructuring strategy of reorganizing scattered original narratives to convey the lingering charm of leisureliness; Graham Sanders opts for a compensatory academic-for-poetry strategy by establishing an interpretive framework via paratexts. These three strategies correspond to three forms of phenotypic memes: stylistic isomorphism, varied form with consistent essence, and scattered form converged in core spirit. This research uncovers the sophisticated mechanism whereby translation facilitates the cross-cultural dissemination of aesthetic memes. It demonstrates that translating leisureliness aesthetics is far more than mere content transfer; instead, it constitutes phenotypic reconstruction adapted to the acceptance norms of target culture—seeking essence consistency amid formal discrepancies and preserving spiritual core through meme variations.