Dialogues on the Theory and Practice of Literary Translation

The book is a collection of the dialogues between Xu Jun, a well-known expert in French literary translation and eminent "Changjiang" scholar in translation studies in China, and some celebrated literary translators in contemporary China, some of whom are also literary scholars, linguists, poets, prose writers, and editors. It is a fundamental achievement of research on the literary translation in the 20th century in China, involving multiple literary types, such as novels, poetry, dramas, prose, and fairy tales; and multiple languages, such as English, French, German, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, and Sanskrit. The dialogues are centered on fundamental issues in the theory and practice of literary translation, such as re-creation in literary translation, the relationship between form and content in literary translation, the subjectivity of literary translators, literary translation standards and principles, the gains and losses in literary translation, the principles and methods of literary criticism, and so on.
Those translation experts' experience and multiple strategies not only play an active role in guiding literary translators in practice but also benefit theoretical development in literary translation. Thus, the book will contribute to worldwide translation studies and get well recognized by translation studies students, teachers, and scholars in the world.

Xu Jun is Distinguished Professor of Translation Studies in the School of International Studies, Zhejiang University. His major research interests cover literary translation, translation theory, and translation criticism. His publications include five monographs including-----(On Translation), -------------------(The Translation and Acceptance of French Literature in China in the Twentieth Century), and dozens of papers published in the core journals of translation studies in China and abroad.

Foreword to the Chinese edition: Tradition and Innovation List of abbreviations Part I: On the Importance of Literary Translation 1. Translation Is Crucial!Ji Xianlin and Xu Jun 2. The Importance of High-Quality Translations Ye Junjian and Xu Jun Part II: On the Re-Creation in Literary Translation 3. On the Re-Creation in Literary Translation Luo Xinzhang, Shi Kangqiang, Yuan Xiaoyi and Xu Jun 4. Translation as the Re-Creation of the Source Text Li Mang and Xu Jun 5. Translation as an Artistic (Re-)Creation Is Boundless Xiao Qian, Wen Jieruo, and Xu Jun 6. Translation as the "Art of Beautification" Xu Yuanchong and Xu Jun Part III: On Literary Translation Principles 7. To Set Principles and Do Accordingly: On the Style of Translation Guo Hongan and Xu Jun 8. Faithfulness, Expressiveness, and Elegance vs. Truth, Goodness, and Beauty Tu An and Xu Jun 9. The Unity of Form and Spirit in Poetry Translation Jiang Feng and Xu Jun 10. To Preserve the Original Artistic Style as Much as Possible Lü Tongliu and Xu Jun Part IV: On the Literary Translator 11. On the Subjectivity of Literary Translators Yang Wuneng and Xu Jun 12. To Be Honest and to Translate Earnestly Cao Ying and Xu Jun 13. The Translator Should Have Multiple Strategies Li Wenjun and Xu Jun Part V: On the Gains and Losses in Literary Translation 14. The Gains and Losses in Translation Fang Ping and Xu Jun 15. Translation Is Well-Known, But Its Gains and Losses Are Only Known to the Translators: On the Translation of Le Rouge et le Noir Zhao Ruihong and Xu Jun Part VI: On Literary Translation Criticism 16. Orienting Literary Translation Xu Jun and Yuan Xiaoyi 17. From "Dreaming" to Reality Xu Jun and Yuan Xiaoyi Part VII: Other Relevant Issues 18. Translation and Creative Writing Zhao Ruihong, Yang Yi and Xu Jun 19. Language and Translation Chen Yuan and Xu Jun 20. Translating and Introducing Latin American Literature in China Lin Yian and Xu Jun Appendix Postscript to the Chinese Edition