A study of Tang poetry translation from the perspective of cognitive poetics

Abstract

Tang poetry, renowned for its profound cultural significance and artistic expression, presents a unique set of difficulties when rendered into different languages due to its reliance on intricate imagery, rhyme, and rhythm. The study emphasizes the necessity of employing cognitive poetics as a guiding perspective for translators, enabling them to navigate the intricacies of Tang poetry's imagery, rhyme, and rhythm, and suggests to utilize modern translation tools to better convey the emotional depth of the original works, while also providing cultural context to enhance readers' understanding. The cross-cultural communication aspect of Tang poetry translation is explored, as it transcends linguistic boundaries to become a channel for cultural exchange. Translators are challenged to strike a balance between faithfulness to the original poem and adaptability to the target culture's sensibilities. This balance is crucial in preserving the cognitive elements of the original work. To ensure the effective cross-cultural communication of Tang poetry, it is essential to retain the unique imagery that carries profound cultural connotations. The study culminates in offering a set of strategies and suggestions for optimizing Tang poetry translation, including maintaining cultural background, preserving rhyme and rhythm, adding explanatory elements, respecting the poet's style, and ensuring proper literariness in the translation.