Translation Of Ebing And Sangluo: The Classical Narrative Poetry Of The Dai People And Its Value As Rainforest Literature

Abstract

Research on the translation of Ebing and Sangluo remains limited, despite its extensive translation activities. This study integrates a corpus-based approach, utilizing THULAC, HanLP, and AntConc, with close reading to discern major similarities and differences among three bilingual translations of Ebing and Sangluo. It quantifies specific translatorial choices and agency through six key observations that emerged from the results, namely, character, locale, theme, linguistic choice, cultural context, and natural environment, thereby validating the application of creative treason in these translations. For instance, one bilingual adaptation converts the narrative poetry into prose story, foregrounding characters and plots for improved readability, though at the expense of certain cultural nuances. The other two bilingual editions in poetic form share nearly identical Chinese texts but differ prominently in their English renderings; the Yunnan edition adheres closely to the Chinese text, while the Wuhan edition demonstrates greater flexibility, supported by numerous annotations. These findings exemplify the dynamics of creative treason, revealing how translators balance readability, fidelity, and cultural expression through creative adaptation. Given the unique geographical and environmental context of the Dai people, the study then identifies the distinctive features that characterize the work as rainforest literature, and explores the significance of its translation as an essential bridge connecting the Dai people with other rainforest communities worldwide for broader cross-cultural dissemination and intercultural communication.