The Comparison and Analysis of Two Versions of Translation of the Classic of the Way and Its Virtue

趙貝西

Abstract： Classic of the Way and Its Virtue， one of the treasured books of Chinese traditional culture， contains the truth of universe. The source text is very deep and profound so the translation of it is very difficult. The author of this paper chose Peter Merels translation and Wing-Tist Chans translation to make a comparison and analysis.

Key words： Classic of the Way and Its Virtue； Wing-Tist Chan； Peter Merel

1. Introduction

Taoism， along with Confucianism， is one of the two major indigenous religio-philosophical traditions that have influenced Chinese life for more than two thousand years. Taoist doctrine permeates Chinese culture and has also found its way into all Asian cultures influenced by China， especially those of Vietnam， Japan， and Korea.

Lao Zi， the founder of Taoism， was born in the state of Chu about 600B.C. In his early years， Lao Zi was a librarian at the Zhou court， but at that time， he was famous for his great learning. His most famous book named Classic of the Way and Its Virtue， a book of five thousand words， is well-known by the world and translated into different languages.

When we read the Classic of the Way and Its Virtue， we must notice Lao Zi purpose of writing this book. In the feudal society， the books are always used to serve the ruling class. Lao Zi also applied his theory into politics. Lao Zi criticized the Confucian doctrine of humanity and rites and advocated inaction in government， which meant to let things take their own course and not interfere in peoples lives. But the “inaction” really means “not doing anything”？ We will analyze this problem in the following part. Lao Zi advocated people to live a natural life. The “Three Treasures” for life advanced by Lao Zi are kindness， which enables one to be brave； frugality， which makes one profuse； humility， which asks people never being the first.

2. Comparison of two English translation versions about Classic of the Way and Its Virtue

There are more than 150 English versions about the Classic of the Way and Its Virtue. I will choose Peter Merels translation and Wing-Tist Chans translation to make a comparison and analysis.

First of all， I have to introduce the translators backgrounds. Wing-Tist Chan is a Chinese-American scholar， historian of philosophy， scholar in studying ZhuXi's theory. So to some extent， Wing-Tist Chans understanding about Chinese classics is better than that of Peter Merel.

Because the translations are too long to be shown entirely so I just take Chapter One as the example to make a comparison and analysis.

Example 1

There are two versions about Chapter One because the source text has no denotations. So the difference of the place of denotation results in the different meanings.

The first version：

道，可道，非恒道。

名，可名，非恒名。

無名，天地之始；有名，萬物之母。

故常無，欲以觀其妙；常有，欲以觀其徼僥。

此兩者同出而異名，同謂之玄。

玄之又玄，眾妙之門。

The second version：

道可道，非恒道；名可名，非恒名。

無名，天地之始；有名，萬物之母。

故常無欲，以觀其妙；常有欲，以觀其徼。

此兩者同出而異名，同謂之玄。

玄之又玄，眾妙之門。

The second version is used more frequently than the first version.

Let's see Wing-Tist Chans translation：

The Tao that can be told of is not the eternal Tao； the name that can be named is not the eternal name.

The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth； the Named is the mother of all things.

Therefore let there always be non-being， so we may see their subtlety， and let there always be being， so we may see their outcome.

The two are the same， but after they are produced， they have different names.

They both may be called deep and profound. Deeper and more profound， the door to all subtleties！

From the translation， we can see Wing-Tist Chans translation is conforming to the second version. His translation is very faithful to the source text no matter in the structure or in the content. He translates the “道” into “Tao”， “有名” into “name”， “無名”into “nameless”， “天地”into “heaven and earth”，“母”into “mother”， “無欲”into “non-being”， “有欲” into “being”，“門”into “door”. At first sight， it seems like total literal translation， but it is also adhere to the source meaning. Translating “徼”into “subtlety”，“玄妙” into “deep and profound” are both very proper .The translator do not adjust the sentence order of the translation so the order of translation is corresponding to the source texts sentence order.

Peter Merels translation：

The Way

The Way that can be experienced is not true；

The world that can be constructed is not true.

The Way manifests all that happens and may happen；

The world represents all that exists and may exist.

To experience without intention is to sense the world；

To experience with intention is to anticipate the world.

These two experiences are indistinguishable；

Their construction differs but their effect is the same.

Beyond the gate of experience flows the Way，

Which is ever greater and more subtle than the world？

Peter Merels translation is also based on the second version of source text. From his translation we can see that he has adopted a free translation， a typical western translation style. The translator can adjust the sentence order of the translation so the structure is not corresponding. The translator has translated “道可道，非恒道；名可名，非恒名?！?into “The Way that can be experienced is not true，The world that can be constructed is not true.” Translating“道”into “way” is perfect， but “名”into “world” is not suitable. “名”here is a verb which means to name all the things of the world not a noun such as the “world” Peter Merel has translated. “恒” here means eternal， everlasting. Peter Merel translates it into “true” or “not true”， which is not faithful to the source text meaning. The translator has translated “無名，天地之始有名，萬物之母”into “The Way manifests all that happens and may happen； The world represents all that exists and may exist.” The translation seems to explain a philosophical thought， but it didn't accord with the source meaning. “故常無欲，以觀其妙；常有欲，以觀其徼?！?is translated into “to experience without intention is to sense the world； to experience with intention is to anticipate the world.” The translator translates the “無欲”into “without intention” seems shadower than the word “non-beings” Wing-Tist Chan has translated because the source text is a philosophical text. Translating “以觀其徼” into “anticipate the world” is just to describe an action and has lost the source meaning. “to see their subtlety” Wing-Tist Chan has translated is better. Lastly， translating “此兩者同出而異名，同謂之玄” into “Their construction differs but their effect is the same.”， in my opinion， the translator has some misunderstanding about the sentence. “同出而異名”means “same origin but different names”. “These two experiences are indistinguishable； their construction differs but their effect is the same.” is not totally corresponding with the source text. I think Wing- Tist Chans “The two are the same， but after they are produced， they have different names.” is better. The last sentence “玄之又玄，眾妙之門。” is translated into “Beyond the gate of experience flows the Way， Which is ever greater and more subtle than the world”. The source sentence is to say that the deep and profound theory is the door to all the things. “Which is ever greater and more subtle than the world” is not proper. Wing-Tist Chans “They both may be called deep and profound. Deeper and more profound， the door to all subtleties！” is better.

From the two translations about Chapter One， I think Wing-Tist Chans translation is better than Peter Merels. Wing-Tist Chan has an adequate understanding about the source text so his translation is totally corresponding to the source texts structure， content； order and the purpose the author want to say. The sentence is also very clear and simple. Wing-Tist Chans translation is author-oriented translation， and he wants to put the readers close to the author. Though Peter Merels translation is very clear and simple in structure and content， but it can not express all the meanings of the source text and the author true meaning. Maybe because he could not understand the authors meaning totally. He always uses a little title in front of the translation of each chapter， which is very good because it can describe what the chapter is about. Though his translation is not so faithful， it is accords with the English language customs and the western philosophical theories， which may be more popular and acceptable by the western readers.

3. Conclusion：

Classic of the Way and Its Virtue， one of the treasured books of Chinese traditional culture， contains the truth of universe. The source text is very deep and profound for Chinese to understand the true meaning of LaoZi， not to say to translate it into English. Tao is something must be percepted by people and could not be explained totally in language. What more， there are huge difference between ancient Chinese and modern Chinese， between Chinese and English， between Chinese culture and western culture. So there may be meaning loss in the translation， but as translators，we must hold on a serious and responsible attitude to do the translation better and better.

【Work cited】

[1]郭尚興.論中國典籍英譯的范式：從文本中心與文本相關的比較談起

[2]楊華.《道德經》英譯本的本土文化流失.湖南工業大學財會學院學報，2006（8）：110-112.