Translating Classical Chinese Drama: Comparative Study on the Formal Characteristics and Formal Equivalence of Yuan Zaju

Abstract

The essential formal characteristics of classical Chinese drama have long been ignored in the translation history and study of classical Chinese drama. These formal aspects presented by script structure, arias and speaking lines, musical modes and song suites, as well as the linguistic register and metrical requirements, convey the unique aesthetical and cultural value of the classical Chinese drama. By comparing the original Chinese Yuan zaju text Han gong qiu and its three English translations, this article analyses major deficiencies in presenting the capacity of performability and readability in these translations, which includes the misplacing of the literary status of the songs and dialogue, the omitting of the musical modes and metrics. This article is significant in its cross-culture and cross-language comparative studies in criticizing the formal equivalence of dramatic texts. It is a pioneering and innovative research that focuses on the “significant form” of Yuan zaju.