翻译大赛｜第十三届“中南大学—《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛汉译英组一等奖译文

原创 WE 英语世界

原文

一个大人物的心灵世界（节选）

文/唐浩明

【1】十几年前，随着《曾国藩全集》和以曾国藩为主人公的文学作品的出版，一个一度曾经改变历史走向的人物，仿佛一件稀有文物被发掘出土似的，立时引起国人的广泛兴趣：官场士林、商界军营乃至市井百姓，一时间都以谈论曾氏为博雅为时髦。此风亦波及海外华人世界，华文媒体也争相介绍这位早已被遗忘的曾文正公。

【2】中国近代史上叱咤风云的人物岂止千百，为何此人能得到众多领域和层次的关注：似乎只要是中国人，谁都可以从他身上说点什么！看来，这就不仅仅是出于个人经历的传奇性，而是此人身上有着民族和文化的负载。

【3】当今的时代，是一个全球经济一体化的时代，西方文化仗着经济实力的强大，正在向全世界各个角落风卷残云般扑来，大有排斥、压倒一切文化的势头。曾经创造过五千年灿烂文明的中国文化，在如此形势下如何立足，它究竟还有没有存在的必要，中华民族还需要它的哺育吗？它还有发展的可能吗？这些原本不是问题的问题，如今似乎已成了有识之士的困惑。

【4】曾氏被公认为中国近代最后一个集传统文化于一身的典型人物，人们对他的关注和兴趣，正好给我们以启示：处在变革时期而浮躁不安的中国人，依然渴求来自本族文化的滋润，尤其企盼从这种文化所培育出的成功人士身上获取某些启迪。这启迪，因同源同种同血脉的缘故，而显得更亲切，更实用，也更有效。

【5】此事给我们这批从事中国文化工作的人以振奋，它使我们增加了信心，看到了未来的前途。

【6】然而，中国文化既博大精深，又浩繁芜杂，在眼下信息爆炸竞争激烈的时代，机遇良多，一刻千金，人们再也没有往日田园般宁静的心境和经年累月足不出户闭门读书的悠闲。如何让忙于事功者领略中国文化的智慧呢？笔者认为，对于有志于此的人来说，不妨试用一法：在一段时间内将注意力集中到一个有代表性的人物身上，将他看透研深，再由此一人而去领悟全体。佛家说一叶一菩提，一花一世界，古人说一经通而百经通，说的都是这个意思。

【7】曾国藩便是中国文化的代表人之一，无论从哪个角度来看他，都有值得借鉴之处。比如说，作为一个个体生命，他以病弱之躯在短短的六十年里，做了如许多的事情，留下如许多的思考，他的超常精力从何而来？作为一个头领，他白手起家创建一支体制外的团队，在千难万险中将这支团队带到成功的彼岸，此中的本事究竟有哪些？作为一个父兄，一生给子弟写信数以千计，即便在军情险恶、随时都有生命危险之际，仍对子弟不忘殷殷关注、谆谆教诲。他的这种非同寻常的爱心源于何处？作为一个国家的高级官员，在举世昏昏不明津渡的时候，他能提出向西方学习徐图自强的构想，并在权力所及的范围内加以实施。他的这种识见从何产生？所有这些，都是值得今人仔细琢磨的课题。

（选自《唐浩明评点曾国藩家书》前言，唐浩明评点，岳麓书社，2002）

一等奖译文（1）

The Spiritual World of A Great Man (Excerpt)

By Tang Haoming

Trans. by Zhang Zhijie (张智杰)

【1】A little over a decade ago, The Complete Works of Zeng Guofan and other literary works about Zeng Guofan were published, after which the man who had changed the course of history immediately attracted widespread interest from Chinese people, as though a rare cultural relic had just been excavated. At that time, government officials and literati, businessmen and troops, and even ordinary folks found it cultured and stylish to have conversations about Zeng. The craze also spread to overseas Chinese communities, and Chinese-language media scrambled to cover the long-neglected Zeng Wenzheng[1].

【2】There were numerous immensely powerful figures in modern Chinese history, but how did this man capture the attention of people from various fields and social classes? Apparently, every Chinese person knows something about him! In that case, his rise to fame came not only as a result of his legendary personal experience, but also because of his being an iconic representative of Chinese ethnic values and culture.

【3】Today, we live in an era of global economic integration. Drawing on its great economic strength, Western culture is sweeping into every corner of the world, aggressively excluding and overpowering all other cultures. Under the circumstances, Chinese culture, which has shaped 5,000 years of splendid civilization, is thus confronted with several problems. How can it gain a foothold in today’s world? Is its existence still necessary? Does the Chinese nation still need its nurturing? Can it continue to develop? These problems, which should not have existed to begin with, have now confused far-sighted intellectuals.

【4】Zeng is recognized as the last exemplar to embody the values of traditional culture in modern China. We can conclude from his rise to fame that during times of changes the impetuous and restless Chinese people still crave the nourishment of the native culture, and, in particular, some enlightenment from high achievers who developed in the culture. Such enlightenment, since it is gained from someone of the same ethnic origins, is deemed more harmonious, practical and effective.

【5】This has inspired those of us working in the field of Chinese culture by boosting our confidence and showing us the way ahead for Chinese culture.

【6】Chinese culture is, however, profound yet complicated. In the current era of information explosion where competition is fierce, abundant opportunities have arisen and time is considered precious. Therefore, people are precluded from enjoying the bygone idyllic serenity or relishing staying in to read books for months on end. How is it possible for success chasers to appreciate the wisdom of Chinese culture? The author believes that if you aspire to do so, over a period of time, you can try to focus on an individual who is representative of a particular field; then study and understand him or her thoroughly to gain insights into the field as a whole. The practice carries the meaning of a Buddha quote, “One can see a bodhi in a leaf; One can see a world in a flower.” The same implication is also manifested in an ancient saying, “If one has mastered a single classic, he can master all classics.”

【7】Zeng Guofan is indeed one of the representatives of Chinese culture. No matter our standpoint, we can always learn something from his deeds. For example, as a mere human being, how did he, though physically weak, have inexhaustible energy to accomplish so much and leave us with so much to ponder in only 60 years? As a commander, what capabilities did he have to succeed in raising a regional army independent of the government from scratch and bring success to the army while facing adversities? As a father and brother, why did he have so much devotion to write thousands of letters to his children and younger siblings and even continue tending to and inculcating them while facing the perils and mortal dangers of war? As a senior official, how did he think up the idea of learning from the West for self-strengthening and implement it within the boundaries of his authority when all Chinese people were baffled about how to get out of the grim situation? All these questions deserve our consideration today.

(Excerpted from the preface of Tang Haoming's Review of Zeng Guofan’s Family Letters, Yuelu Press, 2002)

Notes:

[1] Wenzheng: a posthumous title, the highest title given to civil officials under the Qing dynasty.

一等奖译文（2）

The Spiritual Height of A Towering Figure (excerpt)

By Tang Haoming

Trans. by Fei Jijing (费及竟)

【1】More than a decade ago, with the publication of The Complete Works of Zeng Guofan and the literary works with Zeng Guofan (1811—1872) as the protagonist, a character who once changed the course of modern history of China immediately sparked the Chinese people’s widespread enthusiasm, as if a rare cultural relic had been unearthed. In fact, Zeng Guofan emerged as a fashionable and elegant topic among the officialdom, the intellectual community, and the business and military circles, and even among the grassroots people. What’s more, this trend also spread to the overseas Chinese community as the Chinese media abroad scrambled to introduce Zeng Wenzheng, the posthumous honorary title conferred on Zeng Guofan, who had long been consigned to oblivion.

【2】Of the numerous epoch-making personages in modern Chinese history, why can Zeng Guofan garner unparalleled attention and admiration from all walks of life? That any Chinese can seemingly make some comments about Zeng indicates that it is not just due to the legendary nature of his personal experience, but because of Zeng’s impeccable representation of Chinese people and personification of Chinese cultural heritage.

【3】In an era of global economic integration, western culture, backed by its powerful economic strength, is irresistibly penetrating into every corner of the world, with the momentum of repelling and overwhelming all other cultures. How can the Chinese culture, which has created a splendid civilization of 5000 years, gain a solid footing against the tide of westernization? Is it still necessary for it to exist so as to keep nurturing the Chinese people? Is it still possible for it to evolve? What used to be taken for granted has now seemed to bewilder the intellectuals.

【4】Zeng has been universally acknowledged as the last exemplary figure epitomizing traditional Chinese culture in modern China. People’s attention to and interest in him could give us some enlightenment: The materialistic and restless Chinese people in the era of transformation still yearn for the spiritual nourishment from their own culture, especially for some insights from the outstanding individuals cultivated by this culture, which are more kindred, practical and effective because of the same ethnic origin and cultural inheritance.

【5】Such a cultural passion for Zeng Guofan has significantly inspired researchers who are engaged in the study of Chinese culture as it has boosted our confidence to embrace the Chinese cultural renaissance in the future.

【6】However, Chinese culture is not only profoundly broad, but vastly complicated as well. In the era of information explosion and fierce competition, there are numerous pecuniary opportunities to be seized. As a result, people have lost the idyllic peace of mind, bidding farewell to the leisurely reading behind closed doors for months and even years. So, how to enable those who are obsessed with their secular pursuits to appreciate the wisdom of Chinese culture? In my humble opinion, for those who are dedicated to such an intellectual endeavor, they might as well try one method: delve into one representative character for a sufficient period of time so as to gain a thorough comprehension of this figure, from whom one can grasp the essence of the whole Chinese culture. Buddhists believe that a bodhi tree can be symbolized by a leaf on it, while the whole world can be observed and understood through a flower. Likewise, the ancients remarked that one can perceive the quintessence of all Buddhist scriptures by acquiring an in-depth understanding of one sutra. Zeng Guofan is to Chinese culture what a leaf is to a bodhi tree, a flower to the world, and a sutra to Buddhism.

【7】As one of the iconic figures of Chinese culture, Zeng Guofan serves as a paragon for the ordinary people from nearly every perspective. For example, as an individual, he accomplished numerous feats and left considerable food for thought in the form of many thought-provoking books and letters in his feeble and short lifespan of 60 years. How can he be so remarkably energetic? As a leader, he started from scratch to build up a local army in his native Hunan Province which was under the direct command of him instead of the late Qing government and moreover brought his troops to the pinnacles of success against all odds. Why does Zeng possess such an extraordinary ability? As a father and the eldest brother, he persisted in writing thousands of illuminating letters to his children and younger brothers all his life. Even when he met with military setbacks with his life hanging by a thread, he perseveringly enlightened his children and younger brothers about how to conduct themselves in life. What is the impetus for such phenomenal love? When the majority of people was at a loss about what to do, as a senior official of the late Qing Dynasty, Zeng Guofan was sagacious enough to put forward the idea of learning from the West so as to gradually enhance national strength, which was fully implemented by him within the scope of his power. Why could he possess such insight and foresight? All these queries are topics worthy of exhaustive and meticulous research today.

(Selected from the preface of Tang Haoming’s Comments on Zeng Guofan’s Family Letters, Tang Haoming’s comments, Yuelu Publishing House, 2002)

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第十四届“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛

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