20230630 final exam 06 - Revision history

Root at 18:57, 16 July 2023

2023-07-16T18:57:47Z

Fu Jing: /* Early Studies of English Translation of Representative Works */

2023-06-20T11:59:25Z

Early Studies of English Translation of Representative Works

Fu Jing: /* Early Studies of English Translation of Representative Works */

2023-06-20T11:54:15Z

Early Studies of English Translation of Representative Works

Fu Jing: /* Research Reflects and Prospects */

2023-06-16T07:24:05Z

Research Reflects and Prospects

Fu Jing: /* Review of Early Research on Translation Studies */

2023-06-16T07:22:59Z

Review of Early Research on Translation Studies

Fu Jing: /* Early Studies of English Translation of Representative Works */

2023-06-16T07:21:52Z

Early Studies of English Translation of Representative Works

Fu Jing: /* A Brief Introduction to the Ming and Qing Short Essays and Their English Translations */

2023-06-16T07:20:30Z

A Brief Introduction to the Ming and Qing Short Essays and Their English Translations

Fu Jing: /* Abstract */

2023-06-15T15:50:07Z

Abstract

Fu Jing: /* 2.1. "飛燕外傳", Zhao Feiyan waizhuan (汉朝) (Han Dynasty) */

2023-06-15T08:36:13Z

2.1. "飛燕外傳", Zhao Feiyan waizhuan (汉朝) (Han Dynasty)

Fu Jing: /* 2.1. "飛燕外傳", Zhao Feiyan waizhuan (汉朝) (Han Dynasty) */

2023-06-15T08:21:04Z

2.1. "飛燕外傳", Zhao Feiyan waizhuan (汉朝) (Han Dynasty)

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:57, 16 July 2023
Line 1:		Line 1:
		+	*Shortlink back to Homepage: [[Chinese_Classics_Translation_Spring_2023]]
		+	*Shortlink to Final Exam Paper website [[20230630_Classics]]
	=202270081632 付静 Fu Jing 英语笔译(English translation)=		=202270081632 付静 Fu Jing 英语笔译(English translation)=
	==A Systematic Review on the English Translation of Chinese Xiaopin (Short Essays) of Ming and Qing Dynasties==		==A Systematic Review on the English Translation of Chinese Xiaopin (Short Essays) of Ming and Qing Dynasties==

@@ Line 60: / Line 60: @@
 When Chinese keywords related to this topic were typed into CNKI, the largest full text database of Chinese academic journals, the studies found are shown in the following table.
-[[File:https://bou.de/u/wiki/File:Table.jpg]]
+[[File:table.jpg]]
 The number in the brackets shown in the table represents that of papers published in top journals of China. As is seen, the most researched work of xiaopin is "Cai Gen Tan", with a total number of thirty seven papers but only three of them being high-quality. It is worth noting that there is only one piece of doctoral dissertation related to this field. In terms of publication frequency, the average number of papers on “Cai Gen Tan” is less than two pieces per year.

@@ Line 60: / Line 60: @@
 When Chinese keywords related to this topic were typed into CNKI, the largest full text database of Chinese academic journals, the studies found are shown in the following table.
-https://bou.de/u/wiki/File:Table.jpg
+[[File:https://bou.de/u/wiki/File:Table.jpg]]
 The number in the brackets shown in the table represents that of papers published in top journals of China. As is seen, the most researched work of xiaopin is "Cai Gen Tan", with a total number of thirty seven papers but only three of them being high-quality. It is worth noting that there is only one piece of doctoral dissertation related to this field. In terms of publication frequency, the average number of papers on “Cai Gen Tan” is less than two pieces per year.

@@ Line 88: / Line 88: @@
 A majority of papers focus on individual case studies rather than systematic and in-depth ones on a translator and all his translations or on a writer and all his translated works. Given the short size of essays in the Ming and Qing dynasties and the incomplete translations of representatives, there is a lack of sufficient corpus to support the analysis of individual cases. This probably explains why there are fewer research papers on translations of other works than those on "Cai Gen Tan" and "You Meng Ying". However, individual cases do not represent familiar essays of the Ming and Qing period as a whole. Translation studies on individual cases cannot comprehensively and deeply explore the translation strategies for short essays as a genre, and it is also difficult to verify the effectiveness of a translation theory to guide the translation practice of works of this kind. Furthermore, it is essential to consider the historical context and translation environment when examining translators or their translations. Without this comprehensive approach, any conclusions drawn will inevitably remain partial and incomplete.
-===Research Reflects and Prospects===
+===Research Reflections and Prospects===
-In the future, there is still a wide space for the translation and dissemination of short essays of the Ming and Qing period into English and even into multiple languages, as well as the translation studies of them.
+Xiaopin of Ming and Qing dynasties, as a transition form between ancient and modern prose, not only has obvious characteristics of the times to deeply reflect the social culture and life patterns in a certain context of the social environment but is also unique due to its short size with sufficient content, poetic and elegant language, as well as intelligent and witty thoughts. Characterized by its literariness, insights, wits, and readability (being easier to be understood linguistically compared with ancient prose in China), xiaopin, or familiar essays during the Ming and Qing period has an undeniable advantage in terms of being easy to understand, especially in today's social environment with a fast pace of life and hectic schedule. The promotion of short essays of this kind can cater to the needs of a wide range of readers to use their fragmented time to get relaxed spiritually. Therefore, the promotion of the English translation of short essays in the eras can not only add more vivid and realistic details for Westerners to understand Chinese literature and its development, as well as Chinese attitudes and reaction to the world in a fuller picture but also provide a just right solution to the global readers' pursuit of self-cultivation or personality in nature.
-In terms of the production of translations, given the characteristics and nature of Ming and Qing essays, such as pursuing personality and innate sensibility shown in the works, future English translations for untranslated works or retranslations of existing translations may be more appropriate to be completed by freelance or commercial translation companies than those work for the government since some translation flexibility may be lost in the latter's versions. However, considering the relatively unfavorable market for literary translation, the government could also offer financial support to promote such projects. This may include providing subsidies for literary translation projects completed by freelance translators or translation companies, using the quantity and quality of translations as a reference. Such incentives would encourage more translators to engage in literary translation and ultimately improve the overall quality of translations. In addition, for the translation of literary works, it is also necessary to abandon the mentality of "not to translate non-serious literature and not to translate non-classical works". Instead, the nature of "literature" needs to be viewed with a more inclusive and open-minded attitude rather than being regarded as something "elegant" or "serious". The final destination of literature is life, life for all. If readers' acceptabilities and needs are ignored because of the exclusive pursuit of traditional "elegant or serious" literature, the value of literature itself is lost.
+In the future, there is a wide range of opportunities for future studies of  the translation and dissemination of short essays of the Ming and Qing period into English and even into multiple languages, as well as the translation studies of them.
-From the perspective of translation studies, more research angles or topics are waiting to be found, from the influence of original creation conditions or historical environment on the translatability of the source text to the important role that the relevant historical documents play in the application of certain translation strategies or the production of the final translation. Alternatively, in terms of interdisciplinary research, analysis of a translator's behavior, as well as the acceptance and dissemination effect of a certain translated work, from an economic or psychological perspective can also be explored.
+In terms of of translations, given the characteristics and nature of Ming and Qing essays, such as pursuing personality and innate sensibility shown in the works, future English translations for untranslated works or retranslations of existing translations may be more appropriate to be completed by freelance or commercial translation companies than those work for the government since some translation flexibility may be lost in the latter's versions. However, considering the relatively unfavorable market for literary translation, the government could also offer financial support to promote such projects. This may include providing subsidies for literary translation projects completed by freelance translators or translation companies, using the quantity and quality of translations as a reference. Such incentives would encourage more translators to engage in literary translation and ultimately improve the overall quality of translations. In addition, for the translation of literary works, it is also necessary to abandon the mentality of "not to translate non-serious literature and not to translate non-classical works". Instead, the nature of "literature" needs to be viewed with a more inclusive and open-minded attitude rather than being regarded as something "elegant" or "serious", because the initial role of the literature is to be read and understood not only by some secluded groups of people, but by readers with any cultural or educational background. If readers’ reception abilities and needs are ignored because of the exclusive pursuit of traditional "elegant or serious" literature, the value of literature itself is lost.
-In summary, translation, as a cultural communication activity, involves various fields of society, and the understanding of translation activities should not be limited to the translation field itself. While the short essays of the Ming and Qing dynasties, as a distinctive category of prose involving various fields of social life, deserve more attention in the literary translation field.
+From the perspective of translation studies, more research angles or topics are waiting to be found, from the influence of original creation conditions or historical environment on the translatability of the source text to the important role that the relevant historical documents play in the application of certain translation strategies or the production of the final translation. Alternatively, in terms of interdisciplinary research, analysis of a translator's behavior, as well as the acceptance and dissemination effect of a certain translated work, from an economic or psychological perspective can also be explored.
 ===References===

@@ Line 73: / Line 73: @@
 ===Review of Early Research on Translation Studies===
-. Not many of Total Papers and Much Less in High-quality Ones
+Taking into consideration all mentioned above, it can be seen that very few  studies were conducted on the English translation of Chinese short essays written from the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries, but compared with the research done in other popular translation fields, the research in this field is still quite underdeveloped. Meanwhile, the published papers show shortcomings in the aspects shown below.
 There may be several possible reasons for it. Firstly, there are relatively fewer English translations of Ming and Qing short essays, and most translated works are not full versions of the original representatives of the times, which results in a scarcity of research materials. Secondly, the majority of translated works are completed by lesser-known translators compared to the more acclaimed translations. Therefore, it is less possible for them to attract researchers' attention, considering the translators' fame or the quality of their translations. Thirdly, at present, most researchers in this field are young postgraduate students, rather than university faculty who are experienced in translation practice and research, and no certain research groups have been established among them, which also makes it difficult to form a joint force to conduct systematic and in-depth research on short essays of the Ming and Qing period.
@@ Line 81: / Line 82: @@
 . Limited Themes and Overlapping Perspectives without Adequate Originality and Innovation
-The majority of research papers examine and discuss translations from an aesthetic perspective, concentrating on translations at micro levels such as words, phrases, sentences, and texts. A limited quantity of research papers focuses on culture and translators' identities, but each of them merely analyzing on a specific case study, which lacks a comprehensive and systematic vision of the translation of short essays during the period and draws a less objective conclusion. Although there are papers that analyze translations from a perspective of translation criticism by making comparisons between different versions of a certain work, most of them show full praise and personal admiration for famous translators, rather than making righteous assessments and providing rational reflection and in-depth discussion on the translated works themselves. In addition, most papers focus on the analysis and discussion of the main text, and the sub-texts of English versions, which could provide a fuller picture of the whole translation practice of the original book though, are normally neglected or discussed in a much smaller proportion of the whole paper.
+The majority of research papers examine and discuss translations from an aesthetic perspective, concentrating on translations at micro levels such as words, phrases, sentences, and texts. A limited quantity of research papers focuses on culture and translators' identities, but each of them merely analyzes a  specific case study, which lacks a comprehensive and systematic vision of the translation of short essays during the period and draws a less objective conclusion. Although there are papers that analyze translations from a perspective of translation criticism by making comparisons between different versions of a certain work, most of them show full praise and personal admiration for famous translators, rather than making righteous assessments and providing rational reflection and in-depth discussion on the translated works themselves. In addition, most papers focus on the analysis and discussion of the main text, and the sub-texts of English versions, which could provide a full picture of the whole translation practice of the original book though, are normally neglected or discussed in a much smaller proportion of the whole paper.
 . More Individual Case Studies But Less Systematic Studies
-A majority of papers focus on individual case studies rather than systematic and in-depth ones on a translator and all his translations or on a writer and all his translated works. According to Zhang Nanfeng, translation studies in China "tend to focus on only one or a few translations of a work rather than provide an in-depth study of a writer's works or a translator's entire translations, and a comprehensive and in-depth study of a genre or a period of translation is even rarer." He also shares his worries about when systematic knowledge reflecting the translation phenomenon will be accumulated by doing research in an existing way (Zhang Nanfeng, 2004:14-15). Given the short size of essays in the Ming and Qing dynasties and the incomplete translations of representatives, there is a lack of sufficient corpus to support the analysis of individual cases. This probably explains why there are fewer research papers on translations of other works than those on Cai Gen Tan and You Meng Ying. However, individual cases do not represent familiar essays of the Ming and Qing period as a whole. Translation studies on individual cases cannot comprehensively and deeply explore the translation strategies for short essays as a genre, and it is also difficult to verify the effectiveness of a translation theory to guide the translation practice of works of this kind. Furthermore, it is essential to consider the historical context and translation environment when examining translators or their translations. Without this comprehensive approach, any conclusions drawn will inevitably remain partial and incomplete.
+A majority of papers focus on individual case studies rather than systematic and in-depth ones on a translator and all his translations or on a writer and all his translated works. Given the short size of essays in the Ming and Qing dynasties and the incomplete translations of representatives, there is a lack of sufficient corpus to support the analysis of individual cases. This probably explains why there are fewer research papers on translations of other works than those on "Cai Gen Tan" and "You Meng Ying". However, individual cases do not represent familiar essays of the Ming and Qing period as a whole. Translation studies on individual cases cannot comprehensively and deeply explore the translation strategies for short essays as a genre, and it is also difficult to verify the effectiveness of a translation theory to guide the translation practice of works of this kind. Furthermore, it is essential to consider the historical context and translation environment when examining translators or their translations. Without this comprehensive approach, any conclusions drawn will inevitably remain partial and incomplete.
 ===Research Reflects and Prospects===

@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 ===Early Studies of English Translation of Representative Works===
 . Searching Results of Early Studies at Home and Abroad
 In this part, the author gets results by searching for all relevant materials that are published and can be found before June 5th , 2023 on the CNKI, a major website of data resources for academic research, and the Web of Science, as well as Google Scholar.
-Typing "Chinese literary vignettes" into Google scholar, there is only one book review relavant to the subject. When trying with "Chinese xiaopin", there is only a piece of academic dissertation related to the subject, which focuses on the studies of Zhang Dai's Tao An Yi Meng rather than the translation of it. There are also other key words, such as "Chinese short essays", "Chinese familiar essays","little prose", used to search for relevant papers in Google Scholar and the Web of Science, but no relevant paper is found.
+Typing "Chinese literary vignettes" into Google scholar, there is only one book review relevant to the subject. When searching for "Chinese xiaopin", it is possible to find only one piece of academic dissertation related to the subject, which focuses on the studies of Zhang Dai's "Tao An Yi Meng" rather than the translation of it. There are also other key words, such as "Chinese short essays", "Chinese familiar essays","little prose", used to search for relevant papers in Google Scholar and the Web of Science, but no relevant paper was found.
-When Chinese keywords related to this topic were typed into CNKI, the largest full text database of Chinese academic journals, there are findings as shown in the following table.
+When Chinese keywords related to this topic were typed into CNKI, the largest full text database of Chinese academic journals, the studies found are shown in the following table.
 https://bou.de/u/wiki/File:Table.jpg
-The number in the bracket shown in the table represents that of papers published in the core or top jounals in China. As is seen, the most researched work of xiaopin is Cai Gen Tan, with a total number of thirty senven papers but only three of them being high-quality. It is worth noting that there is only one piece of doctoral dissertation searched in this area. In terms of publication frequency, the average number of papers on the most research subject is less than two piece per year.
+The number in the brackets shown in the table represents that of papers published in top journals of China. As is seen, the most researched work of xiaopin is "Cai Gen Tan", with a total number of thirty seven papers but only three of them being high-quality. It is worth noting that there is only one piece of doctoral dissertation related to this field. In terms of publication frequency, the average number of papers on “Cai Gen Tan” is less than two pieces per year.
 . Perspectives or Main Contents of Early Studies
-From the overall studies of the Ming and Qing essays, two papers discuss short essays of the Ming and Qing dynasties as a whole. Taking the anthology of translated works of essays in the eras as the research object, Zhang Shunsheng and Wang Xiaoli discuss the title translation strategy of those works and concludes that the title translation of essays of this kind is still based on literal and free translation, with aesthetic principles as practical guidance (Zhang Shunsheng, Wang Li, 2013). The other analyzes the overseas acceptance of Short Essays of Ming and Qing Dynasties, discusses factors influencing the circulation and reception of the translation from the perspectives of translators, readers, translations, and translation environment, and formulates corresponding strategy suggestions based on the successful experience of Lin Yutang's translations (Zhang Xiaoxue, 2021). In Li Jie's dissertation for her doctoral degree, several works of Xiaopin are discussed as part of ancient Chinese artistic prose from a perspective of aesthetic communication.(Li Jie, 2008)
+From the overall studies of the Ming and Qing essays, only two papers discuss short essays of the Ming and Qing dynasties as a whole. Taking the anthology of translated works of essays in the eras as the research object, Zhang Shunsheng and Wang Xiaoli discuss the title translation strategy of those works and conclude that the title translation of essays of this kind is still based on literal and free translation, with aesthetic principles as practical guidance (Zhang Shunsheng, Wang Li, 2013). The other analyzes the overseas acceptance of “Short Essays of Ming and Qing Dynasties”, discusses factors influencing the circulation and reception of the translation from the perspectives of translators, readers, translations, and translation environment, and formulates corresponding strategy suggestions based on the successful experience of Lin Yutang's translations (Zhang Xiaoxue, 2021). In Li Jie's PhD dissertation, several works of Xiaopin are discussed as part of ancient Chinese artistic prose from a perspective of aesthetic communication.(Li Jie, 2008)
-−
-Others focus on individual case studies mainly from different perspectives such as aesthetic reproduction, translation strategies or methods, and translators' behavior analysis and so on. According to Ao Zheng, most studies of the English translation of Cai Gen Tan focus on translation strategies or approaches and each of them provides a summary of enlightenment from translation practice (Ao Zheng, 2020). For example, Chen Hui analyzes and discusses Jiang Jiansong's and Paul White's versions in comparison from the perspective of pragmatics. With examples of two versions analyzed from the equivalence of language to the equivalence of social interaction, she points out that in translation classics, translators need to follow the principles of contextual translation, conform to and meet the cultural background and reading expectations of the target readers, and carry out translation with the best contextual effect, so as to truly convey the intention of the original author to the target readers (Chen Hui, 2011). There is also an overview of translation history of different versions of Cai Gen Tan by Wang Yongzhen, who provide a clue of translations of the book and reflects on intralingual and interlingual translations as well as the understanding of the concept of "classics" and factors of being "classics" (Wang Yongzhen, 2017).
+Others focus on individual case studies mainly from different perspectives such as aesthetics, translation strategies or methods, and translators' behavior analysis and so on. According to Ao Zheng, most studies of the English translation of "Cai Gen Tan" focus on translation strategies or approaches and each of them provides a summary of reflections on translation practice (Ao Zheng, 2020). For example, Chen Hui analyzes and discusses Jiang Jiansong's and Paul White's versions in comparison from the perspective of pragmatics. With examples of two versions analyzed from the equivalence of language to the equivalence of social interaction, she points out that in translation classics, translators need to follow the principles of contextual translation, conform to and meet the cultural background and reading expectations of the target readers, and carry out translation with the best contextual effect, so as to truly convey the intention of the author to the target readers (Chen Hui, 2011). There is also an overview of translation history of different versions of Cai Gen Tan by Wang Yongzhen, who provide a clue of translations of the book and reflects on intralingual and interlingual translations as well as the understanding of the concept of "classics" and factors of being "classics" (Wang Yongzhen, 2017).
 Studies on Lin Yutang's translation of You Meng Ying mainly discuss translation strategies from the perspective of aesthetic reproduction by analyzing the translation of words, phrases, sentences, and discourse. There is only one Chinese paper discussing the mistranslation in Lin's version by Xiao Xian and Liu Hongyu who attributed the mistranslation to Lin's "misinterpretation of the background knowledge of the original work" and "insufficient understanding or refinement of the original words and sentences" (Xiao Xian, Liu Hongyu, 2007). But regrettably, they do not provide their solutions or translation in response.

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 Generally speaking, there is a wide range of translated works from English to choose from, excerpted, or abridged, with the works of multiple authors combined in a single collection.
-In 1926, a Japanese translator, Isobe Yaichiro, brought the first English version of the book Cai Gen Tan entitled Musings of a Chinese Vegetarian(Wang Yongzhen, Gu Yiyan, 2017), which may be the first time when Chinese xiaopin, or short essays, entered the English world. Since then, other translated versions have appeared (Wang Yongzhen, Gu Yiyan, 2017). The first and most researched version in China is the translation completed by Jiang Jiansong, Cai Gen Tan: My Crude Philosophy of Life, which is published in 2001 as one of the Library of Chinese Classics series (Wang Yongzhen, Gu Yiyan, 2017).
+In 1926, a Japanese translator, Isobe Yaichiro, brought the first English version of the book Cai Gen Tan entitled "Musings of a Chinese Vegetarian" (Wang Yongzhen, Gu Yiyan, 2017), which may be the first time when Chinese xiaopin, or short essays, got introduced to the English-speaking world. Since then, other translated versions have appeared (Wang Yongzhen, Gu Yiyan, 2017). The first and most researched version in China is the translation done by Jiang Jiansong, "Cai Gen Tan: My Crude Philosophy of Life", which is published in 2001 as one of the Library of Chinese Classics series (Wang Yongzhen, Gu Yiyan, 2017).
-In 1937, in the bestseller of Lin Yutang, The Importance of Living, many pieces of thoughtful writing in Zhang Chao's You Meng Ying (or Sweet Dream Shadows) were translated as quotations ( see in Chapter VII.THE EPIGRAMS OF CHANG CH'AO), which was also the first time when You Meng Ying was introduced to the English world.
+In 1937, the bestseller of Lin Yutang, "The Importance of Living", contained many thoughtful extracts from Zhang Chao's "You Meng Ying" (or "Sweet Dream Shadows") (see Chapter VII.THE EPIGRAMS OF CHANG CH'AO), which was also the first time when "You Meng Ying" was introduced to the English-speaking world.
-In 1960, Lin's The Importance of Understanding was published in the United States, and it featured a significant excerpt from You Meng Ying (Quiet Dream Shadows). This time, the original maxims were organized by subject and supplemented with commentaries, annotations, and other contextual information, making them more accessible to Western readers.
+In 1960, Lin Yutang's "The Importance of Understanding" was published in the United States, and it featured a significant excerpt from You Meng Ying (Quiet Dream Shadows). This time, the original maxims were organized by subject and supplemented with commentaries, annotations, and other contextual information, making them more accessible to Western readers.
-In 1978, Pilgrim of the Clouds: Poems and Essays by Yuan Hung-tao and His Brothers, translated by Jonathan Chaves, was published by Weatherhill, New York, with many short essays of Yuan Hongdao like Letter to Li Tzu-jan included.
+In 1978, "Pilgrim of the Clouds: Poems and Essays by Yuan Hung-tao and His Brothers", translated by Jonathan Chaves, was published by Weatherhill, New York, with many short essays of Yuan Hongdao like "Letter to Li Tzu-jan" included.
-The Chinese Essay edited and translated by David Pollard was first published by The Chinese University of Hongkong Press in 1999 and later by Columbia University Press in 2002, with many familiar essays of Ming and Qing writers translated and introduced. These works include Gui Youguang's Xiang Ji Xuan Zhi (The Xiangji Studio ) and Xianpishilve (My Mother: A Brief Life), Li Yu's Four Parts of Xianqing'ouji (Pleasant Diversions:Judging Beauty; Pleasant Diversions:Accomplishments; Pleasant Diversions:Literacy; Pleasant Diversions:Clothes), and some famous articles of Zhang Dai's, such as Xihuqiyueban (The Full Moon Festival at the West Lake) and Liujingtingshu (Liu Jingting: Storyteller).
+"The Chinese Essay" edited and translated by David Pollard was first published by The Chinese University of Hongkong Press in 1999 and later by Columbia University Press in 2002, with many familiar essays of Ming and Qing writers translated and introduced. These works include Gui Youguang's "Xiang Ji Xuan Zhi" ("The Xiangji Studio") and "Xianbi Shilüe" ("My Mother: A Brief Life"), Li Yu's Four Parts of "Xianqing'ouji" ("Pleasant Diversions: Judging Beauty"; "Pleasant Diversions: Accomplishments"; "Pleasant Diversions: Literacy"; "Pleasant Diversions: Clothes"), and some famous articles of Zhang Dai's, such as "Xihuqiyueban" ("The Full Moon Festival at the West Lake") and "Liujingtingshu" ("Liu Jingting: Storyteller").
-As is shown above, the English translations of familiar essays in the Chinese Ming and Qing dynasties (from the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries) as a whole appear in the form of selected, abstracted, and abridged works, and none of the other works have been fully translated to date except Cai Gen Tan (roots of wisdom). It is also worth noting that most of those works were translated by Chinese translators, which could indicate that short essays of this period as a whole have not attracted enough attention abroad.
+In 2011, the compilation titled "The Short Essays of the Ming and Qing Dynasties" (Chinese-English comparison) was published under the guidance of Zhou Xiaotian and Wang Hong (Zhang Xiaoxue, 2021). The collection features a systematic and comprehensive translation of 127 exceptional works from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. To a certain extent, it fills the gap in the availability of English translations of short essays and assists in paving the way into the life and social culture of these eras, allowing global readers to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese literature and culture.
-The author tried to explain this phenomenon as follows. From the perspective of characteristics of familiar essays themselves, they cover various writing forms from records of excursions to informal letters, and display writers' life perceptions or understandings in a limited length of passages, which makes them not as unique or distinctive in the writing form as poems, novels or dramas, nor as profound in the content as philosophical or other professional classics, though they do share common with those in language beauty, knowledge or insights. Therefore, under the limited resources and conditions for introduction and promotion, translations of them are relatively neglected. In addition, despite English versions of Cai Gen Tan by Western translators, most of the translated works were done by Chinese translators, which could also imply that those works have not attracted the attention of Western translators who first acted as readers.
+As it is shown above, the English translations of familiar essays in the Ming and Qing dynasties (from the 16th to 17th centuries) as a whole appear in the form of selected, abstracted, and abridged works, and none of the other works have been fully translated to date except "Cai Gen Tan" ("Roots of Wisdom"). It is also worth noting that most of those works were translated by Chinese translators, which could indicate that short essays of this period as a whole have not attracted enough attention abroad.
-From the perspective of translators' motivations, the majority of translation activities, excluding those conducted by the government, maybe likely performed by people for livelihood reasons. In other words, works might be translated by bi-lingual or multi-lingual writers in exchange for payment to make a living. Consequently, if a translator starts a sample translation from an author's book but fails to find a publisher willing to pay for the translation of the entire one, the writer may not continue his work on the remaining parts. Furthermore, the presence of vague information in the original work, which cannot be verified in historical works of literature or may be difficult for the translator to understand properly, or content that does not quite meet the translator's interests may also be factors that prevent the presentation of the full translation.
+The author tried to explain this phenomenon as follows. From the perspective of characteristics of xiaopin themselves, they cover various writing forms from records of excursions to informal letters, and display writers' life perceptions or understandings in a limited length of passages, which makes them not as unique or distinctive in terms of such writing forms as poems, novels or dramas, nor as profound in the content as philosophical or other professional classics, though they do share certain common traits with those regarding language beauty, deep knowledge or insights. Therefore, due to the limited resources and conditions for introduction and promotion, translations of essays are relatively neglected. In addition, despite some existing English versions of "Cai Gen Tan" provided by Western translators, most of the works were translated by Chinese translators, which could also result in these works not drawing the attention of Western translators who first acted as readers.
-From the perspective of translation and promotion, the commercialization of translation and publication necessitates that translated works fulfill market demand. In other words, they must cater to readers' expectations as well as possess cultural dissemination value. Nevertheless, when a society's overall material needs surpass its spiritual pursuits, utilitarian reading gains prominence over leisurely reading. Consequently, the public's expectations for literary works, particularly recreational books such as Xiaopin or short essays in the Ming and Qing dynasties, diminish. Meanwhile, the growth of traditional paper media publishing has experienced a decline due to the challenges posed by digital media networks, and this has also significantly influenced the translation and dissemination of literary works, with no exception for short essays of the Ming and Qing period.
 ===Early Studies of English Translation of Representative Works===

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 ==A Systematic Review on the English Translation of Chinese Xiaopin (Short Essays) of Ming and Qing Dynasties==
 ===Abstract===
-Chinese xiaopin, also known as short essays or familiar essays, in the Ming and Qing dynasties, as a genre of Chinese classical prose, refers short, informal essays that were popular during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. With numerous examples found in Chinese classics, Xiaopin, as a literary genre, is an integral part of Chinese literature. Therefore, English translations and research on these essays are highly significant, as they enable a more comprehensive understanding of Chinese literature and culture for readers worldwide. However, compared with main stream literary work such as poetry, novels and plays, short essays of the Ming and Qing period in particular, has been neglected. This paper, by reviewing the English translation of familiar essays in Ming and Qing Dynasties and the relevant research achievements, summarizes the problems and shortcomings of the current research, and puts forward the ideas and methods of future research, intending to promote the study of the English translation of essays, expand the scope of the English translation of essays, supplement the shortcomings of the English translation of Chinese classical art essays, and deepen the study of the English translation of classics.
+Chinese xiaopin, also known as short essays or familiar essays, in the Ming and Qing dynasties, as a genre of Chinese classical prose, refers short, informal essays that were popular during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. With numerous examples found in Chinese classics, Xiaopin, as a literary genre, is an integral part of Chinese literature. Therefore, English translations and research on these essays are highly significant, as they enable a more comprehensive understanding of Chinese literature and culture for readers worldwide. However, compared with main stream literary works such as poetry, novels and plays, short essays of the Ming and Qing period in particular, have been neglected. This paper, by reviewing the English translation of familiar essays in Ming and Qing Dynasties and the relevant research achievements, summarizes the problems and shortcomings of the current research, and puts forward the ideas and methods of future research, intending to promote the study of the English translation of essays, expand the scope of the English translation of essays, supplement the shortcomings of the English translation of Chinese classical art essays, and deepen the study of the English translation of classics.
 ===Key Words===
 xiaopin, short essays, familiar essays, Ming and Qing dynasties, C-E translation, overview

@@ Line 178: / Line 178: @@
 Before describing the main events in the plot, the author briefly describes the life and occupation of their relatives to show the reader characters' origin. Their father, Feng Wanjin, was a songwriter, which, apparently, influenced both sisters' passion for the art of dancing and singing. The work describes Feiyan's ability to control body temperature through the use of breathing practices.
-When she first met the Emperor, Feiyan was frightened and did not want to become his concubine. The emperor could not "bend" the young women's spirit for several days. When, after some time, the ladies of the palace, close to the king, asked him about the young girl, the emperor described her as soft, as if she had no bones, as well as being gentle and timid, After the appearance of the younger sister in the palace, the ruler begins to pay more attention to Hede and moves away from the elder Zhao. Feiyan begins to be jealous and worried about her position - she did not want to lose the title of "Lady Zhao" and just at that time one of the old servants - Fanyi - reminds the king of his duty - to bring a concubine closer to her, who will give birth to an heir. The work says that being too saddened by the lack of attention from the emperor, Feiyan begins to meet with servants and officers. At the same time, Hede tries to "protect" her sister's reputation with the emperor. But after Feiyan's birthday, the sisters' relationship deteriorates. Feiyan becomes more impulsive and begins to get involved in drugs that supposedly could prolong youth. Having quarreled with Feiyan over a slave, Hede calls out to her sister, reminds her of their difficult past together, and both sisters reconcile.
+When she first met the Emperor, Feiyan was frightened and did not want to become his concubine. The emperor could not "bend" the young women's spirit for several days. When, after some time, the ladies of the palace, close to the king, asked him about the young girl, the emperor described her as soft, as if she had no bones, as well as being gentle and timid. After the appearance of the younger sister in the palace, the ruler begins to pay more attention to Hede and moves away from the elder Zhao. Feiyan begins to be jealous and worried about her position - she did not want to lose the title of "Lady Zhao" and just at that time one of the old servants - Fanyi - reminds the king of his duty - to bring a concubine closer to him, who will give birth to an heir. The work says that being too saddened by the lack of attention from the emperor, Feiyan begins to meet with servants and officers. At the same time, Hede tries to "protect" her sister's reputation with the emperor. But after Feiyan's birthday, the sisters' relationship deteriorates. Feiyan becomes more impulsive and begins to get involved in drugs that supposedly could prolong youth. Having quarreled with Feiyan over a slave, Hede calls out to her sister, reminds her of their difficult past together, and both sisters reconcile.
-The author describes in detail the clothes of the youngest of the sisters - Hede, when she is going to the palace, saying that Hede took a bath twice, perfumed herself with the fragrant infusion of aloe from Jiuqu, and cleaned herself up like this: she twisted her hair into a knot "in a modern way", subtly drew her eyebrows with black mascara. in the style of "the outlines of distant mountains" and completed her dress with a careless touch, adding a red dot to her face. Lacking proper clothing, she wore a simple short-sleeved dress and an embroidered skirt and completed the outfit with plum-patterned socks. This passage provides valuable knowledge not only about the fashion trends of traditional China, but also about the personal preferences of the girl. Unlike her older sister, who used to bathe herself in water to which she added seven incense, Hede preferred a cardamom bath.
+The author describes in detail the clothes of the youngest of the sisters - Hede, when she is going to the palace, saying that Hede took a bath twice, perfumed herself with the fragrant infusion of aloe from Jiuqu, and cleaned herself up like this: she twisted her hair into a knot "in a modern way", subtly drew her eyebrows with black mascara in the style of "the outlines of distant mountains" and completed her dress with a careless touch, adding a red dot to her face. Lacking proper clothing, she wore a simple short-sleeved dress and an embroidered skirt and completed the outfit with plum-patterned socks. This passage provides valuable knowledge not only about the fashion trends of traditional China, but also about the personal preferences of the girl. Unlike her older sister, who used to bathe herself in water to which she added seven incense, Hede preferred a cardamom bath.
-It is also notable, that this short novella contains depictions of certain erotic scenes, which, despite a very veiled description, also can serve as a source for characterizing the heroines. The main characters are described with an indication of all their vices, which adds realism to the work. The image of the fatal temperamental beauty Feiyan and her calmer but no less attractive younger sister Hede are still rightfully considered as striking female images in the initial stage of the development of the genre of biographies.
+It is also notable that this short novella contains depictions of certain erotic scenes, which, despite a very veiled description, also can serve as a source for characterizing the heroines. The main characters are described with an indication of all their vices, which adds realism to the work. The image of the fatal temperamental beauty Feiyan and her calmer but no less attractive younger sister Hede are still rightfully considered as striking female images in the initial stage of the development of the genre of biographies.
-In many literary works, female characters are involved as key figures, or they can influence the development of the plot to a great extent. However, in the period of the Han dynasty, it is quite hard to find many writings in which the woman would play an important role in the development of the main storyline unless it's a story based on a real existing person, like in case with "Zhao Feiyan waizhuan". Another problem is quite acute and topical regarding this literary piece: even though Zhao Feiyan is considered to be one of the most famous, or, we can say, notorious characters in Chinese history and her biography is well-researched by Chinese scholars, the biggest contribution to the study of her character in the West was made by Olivia Milburn, what can be proved by some of her research papers. "Zhao Feiyan waizhuang" is not well-researched at the moment, even though it is of great historical and literary importance for Chinese literary framework.
+In many literary works, female characters are involved as key figures, or they can influence the development of the plot to a great extent. However, in the period of the Han dynasty, it is quite hard to find many writings in which the woman would play an important role in the development of the main storyline unless it is a story based on a real existing person, like in case with "Zhao Feiyan waizhuan". Another problem is quite acute and topical regarding this literary piece: even though Zhao Feiyan is considered to be one of the most famous, or, we can say, notorious characters in Chinese history and her biography is well-researched by Chinese scholars, the biggest contribution to the study of her character in the West was made by Olivia Milburn, what can be proved by some of her research papers. "Zhao Feiyan waizhuan" is not well-researched at the moment, even though it is of great historical and literary importance for Chinese literary framework.
 ===2.2. 《长恨歌》"Song of Everlasting Sorrow" (唐朝) (Tang Dynasty)===