Study on the Metaphors in Chang Hen Ge from the Perspective of Conceptual Metaphor Theory

【摘 要】This thesis aims to study the phenomenon of metaphors in the Bai Juyi's Chang Hen Ge so as to explore the cognitive mechanism existing in the interpretation of the metaphors in Chang Hen Ge. We can conclude that the translation of metaphor plays an important role in the poems.

【關鍵詞】Chang Hen Ge； conceptual metaphor theory； poem translation

1 Introduction

1.1 Metaphor we've known

We live in a world full of metaphors. As we know， Chinese poets are good at using metaphors to express their poem contents and contents beyond the poems. The word “metaphor”， originating from Greek， means “proceeding from the one to the other”.

1.2 The background of Chang Hen Ge

Chang Hen Ge was written by the famous poet Bai Juyi of the Tang dynasty. The first lady in this poem refers to Yang Yuhuan， who finally became the first lady of the Emperor Tang Xuanzong. Three score and ten years after the first lady died， the poet composed this poem， which runs over one hundred and twenty lines. It is a perfect integration of description of events， expression of feelings and depiction of scenes. The English versions in this thesis will be the ones translated by Xu Yuanchong and the Yangs' couple.

2 Theories of conceptual metaphors and conceptual integrations of Lakoff

1980， the publish of the book Metaphors We Live By written by Gorge Lakoff and Mark Turner marked the presence of conceptual metaphor theory. And according to Lakoff's conceptual metaphor theory， the constructive definition of the metaphors can be divided into two kinds：

Target domain - what is actually being talked about.

Source domain - the domain used as a basis for understanding target. For example， to waste time involves comparing Time（the target domain） to Money （the source domain） in the metaphor represented by the formula Time Is Money. （Lakoff and Johnson 1980）.

3 Case Studies of the metaphors used in the Chang Hen Ge

（1）回眸一笑百媚生，六宮粉黛無顏色。

Turning her head， she smiled so sweet and full of grace， that she outshone in six palaces the fairest face.-Xu Yuanchong

Glancing back and smiling， she revealed a hundred charms.\" |3 u0 s！

All the powdered ladies of the six palaces ，at once seemed dull and colorless. -Yangs

According to the conceptual metaphor theory， here， “粉黛” is the source domain， and “六宮粉黛” is the target domain. The former word is a metaphor. And for the translation performance， maybe Mr. Xu Yuanchong's “she outshone in six palaces the fairest face.” is better. As the “fairest face” is the most accordant expression.

（2） 在天愿作比翼鳥，在地愿為連理枝。

“On high， we'd be two lovebirds flying wing to wing；On earth， two trees with branches twined from spring to spring.”-Xu's

“In heaven we shall he birds Flying side by side.

On earth flowering sprigs on the same branch！”-Yangs'

“比翼鳥”and “連理枝” in Chinese cultural， are used to modify the good relationship and deep emotion between couples. Affectionate couples just like the two birds “flying wing to wing”， or “two tress with branches twined from spring to spring”.

（3） 天長地久有時盡，此恨綿綿無絕期。

The boundless sky and endless earth may pass away

But this vow unfulfilled will be regretted for age.-Xu's

Heaven and earth may not last for ever，But this sorrow was

eternal.-Yangs'

“恨” here refers to Yang Yuhuan's complain toward Xuanzong. It is a kind of hatred， but a kind of complain， as we know， of course， Lady Yang wasn't reconciled to see the end of the love between her and Xuanzong going like this. “天長地久” refers to the ever promise to her made by Xuanzong. However， such kind of love promise also came to an end， “有時盡”. As Xu translated， this vow unfulfilled will be regretted for age. In my opinion， Yangs' translation “sorrow” is better.

4 Conclusion

Through the English versions of Chang Hen Ge， we can conclude that metaphor plays an important role in the classic Chinese poems. Although metaphors are involved in a lot of factors， the metaphors in the poems can be translated well. A good translation of metaphor surely should obey Lakoff's theory concerns with the metaphor and cultural coherence， “The most fundamental values in a culture will be coherent with the metaphorical structure of the most fundamental concepts in the culture.” （Lakoff G Johnson. p23）.

【Main References】

［1］William Croft and D. Alan Cruse. （2004） Cognitive Linguistics-Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics. Published by the press syndicate of the University of Cambridge. Chapter 3p55.

［2］Lakoff G Johnson， M. Metaphors We Live By.（1980） Chicago： The University of Chicago v Press .

［3］F.Ungerer H.-J.Schmid.（2008） An Introduction to Cognitive Linguistics （Second Edition）.Beijing： Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

［4］馮慶華.實用翻譯教程（英漢互譯）增訂本. 上海：上海外語出版社，2004.

［5］胡壯麟.認知隱喻學. 北京：北京大學出版社，2004.

［6］謝之君.隱喻認知功能探索. 上海：復旦大學出版社出版，2007.