How Do We Translate the Poems in China: The Poetic Aspect

Abstract

Translation of poetry in China is rich in history. Any account of how poetry has been translated is closely related to the processes of Chinese poetry development. Long identified as the most fundamental is the distinction made between the old and new forms. Early in its history, when the long glory of the classical (traditional) Chinese literature was coming to an end — though it still retained its prominent in history — poetry was translated into the classical (traditional) verse metre. These old forms, apparently awkward and inappropriate at times in poetry translation, gave way to the new form and the poetry consequently was translated into new verse metre, as the new Chinese literature emerged and literary history ushered into a new era reaching its climax in “The May Fourth Movement”. Today poetry translation in China primarily focuses on the new verse metre incorporating various rhymes and rhythms. Refs 14.