The Role of Henri Borel in Chinese Translation History

List of figures vii

Acknowledgements ix

Conventions xi

Introduction 1

Biographical note 5

Biographical timeline 6

PART I

Chinese translation history 13

1 Chinese literature in the west 15

1.1 Up to 1700 17

1.2 The eighteenth century 19

1.3 The nineteenth century 20

1.4 Conclusion 25

2 Prominent historical translators in Europe 27

2.1 Missionaries 28

2.2 Merchants and diplomats 29

2.3 Scholars 30

2.4 Conclusion 34

PART II

The translator as cultural mediator 37

3 A translator of philosophy 39

3.1 Educative and inspiring: Confucius and Laozi 40

3.2 The Chinese way: The Spirit of China 50

3.3 Undoing old prejudices: the Mencius 59

3.4 Conclusion 64

Contents

vi Contents

4 A translator of literature 68

4.1 Foreignizing Wonders Old and New 69

4.2 Sinicizing Strange Stories from the Liaozhai 80

4.3 Conclusion 88

PART III

The translator as creator 93

5 The travel writer 94

5.1 Self versus other: Wisdom and Beauty from China 95

5.2 A poetic vision: Daybreak in the East 99

5.3 Idealizing China: The Beautiful Island 112

5.4 Conclusion 117

6 The writer-translator

121

6.1 Negotiating between cultures:

"Kwan Yin" and "Chinese Hell" 121

6.2 Rewriting Daoist stories: Of Life and Death 129

6.3 Conclusion 134

PART IV

The translator as communicator 137

7 The diplomat 138

7.1 The role of a Chinese interpreter 138

7.2 Issues of belonging: Wisdom and Beauty from the Indies 151

7.3 Conclusion 155

8 The expert 158

8.1 Expertise and research 158

8.2 Expertise and poethood 161

8.3 Expertise and sinology 165

8.4 Conclusion 170

Conclusion 173

Epilogue 179

Bibliography 183

Index 201