Abstract:

Tao Te Ching is the work of Taoism with a complete philosophy system. As the fundamental work of Taoism, Tao Te Ching has a far-reaching implication towards China and even the whole world.
The traditional prescriptive studies stress the comparison of exploring the language transform rules. These kinds of study can't get out of the control of the text itself. Therefore it is significant to provide a new strategy for translation practice and study. In the 1950s, with the turn of the study paradigm from prescriptive to descriptive, the concern of translation studies shifts to the objective description of translations, treating them as cultural and historical facts and phenomena.
The purpose of the thesis is not to judge the quality of the translations but to make a descriptive study on the two versions by Arthur Waley and Lin Yutang respectively with the help of the two concepts of hermeneutics: historicity of understanding, fusion of horizons, and explore the reasons for the diversity of the translations of Tao Te Ching. After comparing the two translations, it is found that the differences between their translations are caused by the specific historical periods and the cultural backgrounds of them. In the translating process, the translators' prejudices and horizons, and historicity of understanding contribute to the many differences between the two English versions. It is proved that the diversity of the translations of Tao Te Ching is not only inevitable but also necessary.
The translation strategy of hermeneutics goes far beyond the interpretation of text, as is demonstrated in the translation of Tao Te Ching mentioned, whose process is no easier than a scientific invent. The author hopes that the thesis can arouse the interest of more translators and scholars, and they will make an objective description of a translation on the basis of the specific historical and cultural background of the translator.

Key word: translation; philosophical hermeneutics; prescriptive; Tao Te Ching

摘要:

《道德经》是一部具有完整哲学体系的道教著作。作为道家思想的代表作，《道德经》对整个中华民族乃至全世界都产生了深远的影响。
传统的对《道德经》英译本的翻译研究强调规范性，侧重于文本之间的比对，试图找出翻译中语言转换的规律。这种研究方式难免限于文本内的研究框架。因此提出一种新的研究范式对翻译研究和实践来说意义重大。上个世纪50年代，西方翻译研究范式从规范转向描述，翻译研究不再侧重于评价译本的优劣，而是把译本视作文化和历史现象进行客观描述，探究差异背后的原因。
本文的目的不在于评价几个译本孰优孰劣，而是从阐释学两大原则一一“理解的历史性”以及“视域融合”出发来对Arthur Waley和林语堂的两个译本进行比较分析，进而揭示其不同时期不同文化背景下出现不同英译的深层原因。通过比较两译本比较，作者发现两译本的诸多不同是由于译者的不同历史和文化背景造成的，同时也是其不同历史和文化背景的体现。在翻译的过程中，译者的前见、视域以及理解的历史性都是产生不同译本的原因。这就表明《道德经》英译的多样性，不仅不可避免而且是历史和时代的需要。
论文希望能启发人们更加清楚认识到不能狭隘的理解阐释学的翻译策略，它所强调的内容远不止对原文的准确理解，正如《道德经》的翻译，其艰辛复杂的翻译过程不亚于一项科学创造。希望本文能激起更多译者以及研究者的翻译和研究兴趣，也希望研究者们在评论任何一部译作时不再以传统的方式比较其好坏优劣，而是站在相应时代和文化背景的角度，做出客观的描述和解释。

关键词:翻译;阐释学;描述性;《道德经》