Abstract

When we discuss the long history of Chinese literature, Song Ci is an essential part beyond compare. Li Qingzhao is widely regarded as the most remarkable poetess in the Song Dynasty. The research on her Ci-poems is a significant part of Chinese literature studies. There have been lots of translated versions of her Ci-poems both at home and aboard. It is worthwhile to note that there are a great number of natural images in Li Qingzhao’ s Ci-poems. Different translators have different versions. 

This thesis mainly chooses two English versions of her Ci-poems translated by Xu Yuanchong, Rexroth Kenneth and Chung Ling, aiming to find the intertextual relationship between the original texts and English versions. Then, this thesis discusses the intertextual features of the natural images. According to the discussion, it is found that Xu Yuanchong translated the natural images into the target signals so that English readers can understand the text better. Nevertheless, Rexroth Kenneth and Chung Ling translated the natural images into original signals with some explanations of Chinese culture. At last, the conclusion is that translate with target intertextual signals are beneficial to the translation of natural images in Chinese Ci-poems because this method can help readers understand what does Li Qingzhao want to express better and inspire them to know more about Chinese culture. So it’s necessary and feasible to use intertextual theory in the translation of Chinese poems and Ci-poems.  

Key Words : Li Qingzhao’s Ci-poems;     natural images;     intertextuality; translation

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Chapter 1 Introduction-1

-1.1 Background Information1

-1.2 Research Significance.2

Chapter 2 Literature Review3

2.1 Review on the Studies of English Versions of Li Qingzhao's works.3

2.2 Review on the Existing Studies of Translations of Natural Images4

Chapter 3 The Theoretical Framework .5

-3.1 An introduction of Intertextuality.5

-3.2 Intertextuality and Translation..5

Chapter 4 Findings and Discussion .. .7

-4.1Natural Images as Intertextual Signals in Li' s Ci-poems.7

-4.2 Comparing Translation of Natural Images in the Two English Versions9

--4.2.1 Plant Images.9

--4.2.2 Animal Images11

Chapter 5 Conclusion13

References..14