Abstract
The Tale of Genji has been translated into many different languages including English, French and Chinese. In this article, I will focus on translations into Chinese of the Tale of Genji. Three complete translations into Chinese of The Tale of Genii have been published: by Feng Zikai, by Lin Wenyue, and more recently by Zheng Minqin. In addition, there are versions by Yin Zhijun, by Liang Chun and by Xia Yuanqing, all based on the Feng Zikai translation. A distinctive point of Chinese translations, stemming from both languages using the same Chinese characters, is that names of government posts and quotations from Chinese poems in The Tale of Genji, such as the Song of Eternal Sorrow, can be left as they are. Accordingly the task of the translator is much easier, compared to translating into other languages such as English. A broadening of the interpretation of The Tale of Genji within Chinese culture is especially demonstrated in Feng Zikai's translation. Focusing on Feng Zikai's version among the various translations into Chinese of The Tale of Genji, this article will investigate the richness of the world revealed in the translation through an examination of the translator's character, attitude to translation and style. The study concentrates on the translated sections that deal with "spirit dreams" in The Tale of Genji. This article is an attempt to consider how, with translation as a filter, Feng Zikai allows us to appreciate the richness and variety of interpretation The Tale of Genji offers.
