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Target
Vol. 11:2 (1999) ► pp.223–243

The Role of the Foreign Translator in the Chinese Translation Tradition, 2nd to 19th Century

| Research Centre for Translation, CUHK
This is the first comprehensive study of the crucial role non-Chinese translators played in China's translation history. Drawing from records of three peak periods of translation activities in China, some dating back to as early as the mid-2nd century, the author presents the case of China's traditional reliance on foreign assistance in culturally important translation work, and argues that this was a direct result of the norms within mainstream Chinese culture. The article also explains how China's translation tradition underwent a dramatic change at the turn of the 20th century, and the disruptive effects this has had on translation scholarship.
Article outline
  • I.Introduction
  • II.The Foreigners' Role as Translators and Interpreters
  • III.The Sutra Translation Movement
    • A.The Western Region
    • B.The Rise of Indian Monks
    • C.The Case of Chinese Translators
    • D.The Traditional View: True or False?
    • E.Numbers vs. Influence
  • IV.Translators of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
    • A.The Dominance of the Jesuits
    • B.The Late-Qing Scene
    • C.Leading Western Translators
  • V.A Revolution in Cultural and Translational Norms
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • Glossary of Chinese Names and Titles
  • Selected Bibliography
Published online: 24 March 2000
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https://doi.org/10.1075/target.11.2.03hun
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[no author supplied]
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