preview

Three Beauties Principles Of Poetry

Decent Essays

As a special form of literature, poetry emphasizes the expression of rich emotions and artistic conceptions in highly condensed languages and graceful forms. Poetry translation means that author use a kind of language to reproduce the beauty of rhythm, forma and artistic conception, so that readers can enjoy the beauty of the original when they are reading it. This essay can focus on Xu Yuanchong's translation principle of "Three Beauties" to study English translation of Su Shi's poems. The author wants to prove that the "three beauties" principle has practical value for translation practice in Chinese classical poetry translation and Xu Yuanchong's great role in translation of poetry.
Su Shi was a famous writer, calligrapher and painter in …show more content…

Xu Yuanchong has been engaged in literary translation for over sixty years. He was honored as the only person who can translate poetry into English and French. He is a professor of Peking University and translator. This translation kept characters of Su Shi’s poems. Xu Yuanchong adopted "three beauties" principle. The principle of "Three Beauties" was proposed by Xu Yuanchong in "The Art of Translation." Three beauties principles were divided into the beauty in sense, sound and form. Beauty in sense means that poems translation kept the original poem’s romantic charm and image. Beauty in sound refers to the rhyme of translation poetry which makes translation rhythmic, smooth and beautiful. Beauty in form means translation of poetry remains in the form of the original poem. Xu Yuanchong emphasizes when translator translate poetry, he should show the sense beauty of the original poem,so translator should be focus on the processing of Cultural image. Sound and form beauty is necessary to reach beauty of sense. The principle of "Three Beauties" plays an important role in translation of poems. Besides, when Xu Yuanchong translated Su Shi’s poems, Xu Yuanchong used some methods of translation such as foreignizing translation and domesticating

Get Access