论毛泽东诗词翻译中意象的传达

3  Translation of Images of Mao Tse-tung’s poetry
Mao Tse-tung’s poetry is like a high tree that can reach into the heaven among Chinese poetry field. His poetry is affluent in all kinds of images, both perfect in forms and contents. Such images not only have vividly flying exterior form but also have inner nimbus and verve. His poems are strong in leap. Besides, there is much space between two lines in his poems, which give readers large space to imagine. So it is very hard to translate his poetry. What’s more difficult is the translation of images full of cultural connotations. The translation of images is the images transmission from source language to target language, which influences readers’ enjoying in the reading and has something to do with the quality of poetry’s translation. Consequently, methods of translation of images are much more important. In the following part, the author takes three English versions of The Immortals—Reply to Li Shuyi Tune: “Butterflies Lingering over Flowers”, that is the version of Foreign Language Publishing Company in 2003, which is called official translation for short; the version of Beijing University Publishing Company in 1993 translated by Gu Zhengkun, which is called Gu’s translation for short; the version of Chinese Translational Publishing company in 1993 translated by Xu Yuanzhong, which is called Xu’s translation for short, and other translation of Mao Tse-tung’s poems for examples to discuss methods and problems of translation of images in Mao Tse-tung’s poetry.                

蝶 恋 花
——答李淑一
我失骄阳君失柳，杨柳轻扬直上重霄九。问讯吴刚
何所有，吴刚捧出桂花酒。
寂寞嫦娥舒广袖，万里长空且为忠魂舞。忽报人间
曾伏虎，泪飞顿作倾盆雨。

REPLY TO LI SHUYI to the tune of Die Lian Hua
May 11，1957
I lost my proud poplar and you your willow，
Poplar and willow soar to the Ninth Heaven．
Wu Kang, asked what he can give，
Serves them a laurel brew．
The lonely moon goodness spreads her ample sleeves
To dance for these loyal souls in infinite space．
Earth suddenly reports the tiger subdued，
Tears of joy pour forth falling as mighty rain. [7]
                                                —Official translation
This version is an essay in lines in form; the language is precise and concise on the whole. Almost all images of this poem are translated by literal translation. The official translation of “proud Poplar” is direct, appropriate and corresponding with source language, with little difference.
3. 1. 2 Amplification
Because of the difference in cultural background, historical traditions, national customs and thought, the cultural connotations contained in images and the poet’s rich and strong feelings reflected by images can not be translated properly by some corresponding words. Amplification is used to express the poet’s thoughts and emotions according to the arrangement of versions. [8] Sometimes, translators may add some necessary words and information to the translation so as to help readers understand the original beauty. For example:

REPLY TO LI SHUYI
To the tune of Butterflies Love Flowers
You lost your darling Willow and I my Poplar proud，
Both Poplar and Willow soar gracefully far–above the cloud．
They ask Wu Gang about what he has there，
It’s the laurel wine that Wu offers them to share．
The lonely goddess of the moon spreads her sleeves long，
To console the loyal souls she dances in sky with a song．
Suddenly the news about the tiger subdued comes from the earth.
At once the rain pours down from our darlings’ tear of mirth. [7]
                                                      —Gu’s translation转贴于 酷文网-论文下载中心 http://www.coolwen.net