The ancient I Ching, the most revered and interpreted classic in China's history, has also been k... more The ancient I Ching, the most revered and interpreted classic in China's history, has also been known for its complex and often incomprehensible contents. Yet, despite its highly symbolic, cryptic, and enigmatic character, the classic has enjoyed a global reputation and the admiration of a number of twentieth century poets and artists and Nobel Prize winners in science and literature. This paper, based on modern philological perspectives on textual analysis, as well as Chinese traditional hermeneutical methodologies, explores dialogical interpretive approaches adopted for comprehending the I Ching. It applies cognition and contextualization theories to the process of making sense of the classic.
This intercultural research addresses the challenges of standardizing translation of mystical phi... more This intercultural research addresses the challenges of standardizing translation of mystical philosophical terminologies. Mystical texts make a connection between the transcendent, the essentially unknowable Absolute, and the finite human being. They attempt to communicate through words what is indescribable. As such, the language they employ is symbolic and ambiguous. This leads to inconsistent and at times conflicting translations of terminologies. A text, "Commentary on the Islamic Tradition of the Hidden Treasure," which summarizes and comments on various Sufi perspectives on the process of creation and the ontological relationship between the world of existence and its divine origin, as well as providing psychosocial interpretations, is used as a case study for explaining contexts of important mystical terminologies. Comparing various English and Chinese translations of terms by prominent translators and scholars of Sufi texts should help translators of such texts appreciate the complexity of mystical language, adopt certain existing translations, or propose alternatives.
Asia Pacific Translation and Intercultural Studies , 2020
Collaborative translation does not occur very often, though in the case of poetry we more frequen... more Collaborative translation does not occur very often, though in the case of poetry we more frequently come across such works. The highly complex character of poetry translation and the daunting task of transferring formal qualities of rhythm, rhyme, assonances, and other sonic properties along with conveying ambiguities and nuances, multilayered meanings, and metaphoric images, necessitate a combination of abilities and cross-cultural competencies that are rarely found in a single person-justifying collaborative translation, preferably to be carried out by experts from both the source and target cultures. Yet, this approach poses its own unique challenges and obstacles. Based on a case study of translation of three volumes of poetry from Persian and Arabic into English, the theoretical and pragmatic aspects of intercultural collaborative translation will be discussed.
Asia Pacific Translation and Intercultural Studies, 2017
Sacred text says "translate me but don't translate me" as Jacques Derrida cites. This wittingly a... more Sacred text says "translate me but don't translate me" as Jacques Derrida cites. This wittingly articulated adage marks the complexity and ultimately utopian nature of translating religious texts, texts communicating transcendental concepts. Furthermore, sacred text possesses rhetorical qualities that make its translation unique and challenging. Exerting authority, inducing awe and wonder, enchanting, motivating, and transforming hearts are among distinct characteristics of such texts that need to be faithfully transferred into the target language and culture. This paper uses a case study to demonstrate methods adopted for faithful translation of a religious text. This collaborative approach to translation can serve as a prototype for any translation task challenging in nature.
This article’s hermeneutic approach accommodates transcultural interpretation of symbols and meta... more This article’s hermeneutic approach accommodates transcultural interpretation of symbols and metaphors, providing for a “fusion of horizons” between civilizations with different cultural heritage. The idea that seemingly incompatible symbols can be allusions to a common underlying meaning makes it possible to develop connections between worldviews and perspectives commonly considered incommensurable, in our case between the Bahá’í concept of the Manifestation of God and corresponding Chinese philosophical and religious concepts. This paper demonstrates that there are elements of the Chinese tradition that resonate deeply with the Bahá’í notion of the Manifestation of God.
The ancient I Ching, the most revered and interpreted classic in China's history, has also been k... more The ancient I Ching, the most revered and interpreted classic in China's history, has also been known for its complex and often incomprehensible contents. Yet, despite its highly symbolic, cryptic, and enigmatic character, the classic has enjoyed a global reputation and the admiration of a number of twentieth century poets and artists and Nobel Prize winners in science and literature. This paper, based on modern philological perspectives on textual analysis, as well as Chinese traditional hermeneutical methodologies, explores dialogical interpretive approaches adopted for comprehending the I Ching. It applies cognition and contextualization theories to the process of making sense of the classic.
This intercultural research addresses the challenges of standardizing translation of mystical phi... more This intercultural research addresses the challenges of standardizing translation of mystical philosophical terminologies. Mystical texts make a connection between the transcendent, the essentially unknowable Absolute, and the finite human being. They attempt to communicate through words what is indescribable. As such, the language they employ is symbolic and ambiguous. This leads to inconsistent and at times conflicting translations of terminologies. A text, "Commentary on the Islamic Tradition of the Hidden Treasure," which summarizes and comments on various Sufi perspectives on the process of creation and the ontological relationship between the world of existence and its divine origin, as well as providing psychosocial interpretations, is used as a case study for explaining contexts of important mystical terminologies. Comparing various English and Chinese translations of terms by prominent translators and scholars of Sufi texts should help translators of such texts appreciate the complexity of mystical language, adopt certain existing translations, or propose alternatives.
Asia Pacific Translation and Intercultural Studies , 2020
Collaborative translation does not occur very often, though in the case of poetry we more frequen... more Collaborative translation does not occur very often, though in the case of poetry we more frequently come across such works. The highly complex character of poetry translation and the daunting task of transferring formal qualities of rhythm, rhyme, assonances, and other sonic properties along with conveying ambiguities and nuances, multilayered meanings, and metaphoric images, necessitate a combination of abilities and cross-cultural competencies that are rarely found in a single person-justifying collaborative translation, preferably to be carried out by experts from both the source and target cultures. Yet, this approach poses its own unique challenges and obstacles. Based on a case study of translation of three volumes of poetry from Persian and Arabic into English, the theoretical and pragmatic aspects of intercultural collaborative translation will be discussed.
Asia Pacific Translation and Intercultural Studies, 2017
Sacred text says "translate me but don't translate me" as Jacques Derrida cites. This wittingly a... more Sacred text says "translate me but don't translate me" as Jacques Derrida cites. This wittingly articulated adage marks the complexity and ultimately utopian nature of translating religious texts, texts communicating transcendental concepts. Furthermore, sacred text possesses rhetorical qualities that make its translation unique and challenging. Exerting authority, inducing awe and wonder, enchanting, motivating, and transforming hearts are among distinct characteristics of such texts that need to be faithfully transferred into the target language and culture. This paper uses a case study to demonstrate methods adopted for faithful translation of a religious text. This collaborative approach to translation can serve as a prototype for any translation task challenging in nature.
This article’s hermeneutic approach accommodates transcultural interpretation of symbols and meta... more This article’s hermeneutic approach accommodates transcultural interpretation of symbols and metaphors, providing for a “fusion of horizons” between civilizations with different cultural heritage. The idea that seemingly incompatible symbols can be allusions to a common underlying meaning makes it possible to develop connections between worldviews and perspectives commonly considered incommensurable, in our case between the Bahá’í concept of the Manifestation of God and corresponding Chinese philosophical and religious concepts. This paper demonstrates that there are elements of the Chinese tradition that resonate deeply with the Bahá’í notion of the Manifestation of God.
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