关键词: 中国书法; 审美评述; 逸字词语; 翻译

Abstract:

Yi（逸）is a core concept in Chinese aesthetics, from which the two-character expressions like piaoyi（飘逸) and qingyi（清逸）, and four-character expressions like xiaosapiaoyi（潇洒飘逸）are derived, thus forming a word family based on yi. On the basis of previous studies of yi, the paper first sums up its calligraphic meaning, and then with Chinese Calligraphy, the English version of Zhong Guo Shu Fa Yi Shu（《中国书法艺术》）as the case, discusses the translation of the yi-related expressions. The analysis shows that in light of the target readers and their limited cognition of Chinese calligraphy, the translator of Zhong Guo Shu Fa Yi Shu adopts a reader-oriented strategy and employs methods appropriate for the target readers, thus producing a group of expressions that corresponds approximately to the yi-related expressions. The suggestion for improvement is that the subtle differences between the expressions within the same word family, the complementary and derogatory meanings, and the deeper aesthetic meanings of these expressions should also be represented in the translation. For the rich cultural connotations embodied in the concept of yi, there is obviously no English equivalent for it, and the expediency is to adopt the method of amplification to make up for the loss of its cultural connotations.

Keywords: Chinese calligraphy; aesthetic criticism; yi-related expressions; translation