Frontiers of Global Sinology
FGS, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2026, pp.1-9.
Print ISSN: 3106-5503; Online ISSN: 3106-5511
Journal homepage: https://www.fgsjournal.com
DOI：https://doi.org/10.64058/fgs260101mfdqx
姚达兑（Yao Dadui）
摘要：2020年发现的钱学熙遗稿中，尚未刊行的《道德经》英译手稿引起学界关注。现存资料显示，钱氏初译本附于与燕卜荪往来的十二封信札之中，定稿则由其后人保存。初译与定稿在语言与理解上存在显著差异，成为考察译文生成过程的重要依据。钱学熙在翻译过程中与燕卜荪讨论亚瑟·韦利的《道德经》英译，燕氏的意见直接影响了定稿的形成。将韦利译本、钱氏初译本与定稿并置比较，不仅揭示了不同译者对经典的多重阐释路径，也展现了二十世纪中西学术交流的复杂互动。钱学熙与燕卜荪的对话，因而构成了中国学者与西方译本之间的一种历史性对话，对理解经典跨文化传播与再诠释具有重要意义。
关键词：钱学熙；《道德经》；燕卜荪；亚瑟·韦利
作者简介：姚达兑，海南大学人文学院教授，研究方向：比较文学与世界文学，电邮：yaodadui@foxmail.com。
Title: From Manuscript to Final Draft: Qian Xuexi’s English Translation of the Daodejing and His Dialogue with Empson and Waley
Abstract: After Qian Xuexi’s passing, a collection of his manuscripts was left behind, and since their discovery in 2020, scholars have increasingly turned their attention to their contents. Among these is Qian’s unpublished English translation of the Daodejing, which has yet to be thoroughly explored. This article offers a preliminary analysis based on the compilation of Qian’s manuscripts. Qian’s initial translation of the Daodejing appears in twelve letters exchanged with William Empson, while the final version is kept by Qian’s descendants. Significant differences between the initial and final versions provide a foundation for comparative analysis. Qian’s discussions with Empson regarding Arthur Waley’s English translation of the Daodejing, and the guidance he received from Empson, had a notable impact on Qian’s final translation. A comparative study of Waley’s translation, Qian’s initial draft, and the final version sheds light on the differing ways in which Chinese classics are interpreted in the East and West. The academic dialogue between Qian and Empson also stands as a historical witness to the cultural exchange and mutual appreciation of civilizations between the East and the West.
Keywords: Qian Xuexi; Daodejing; William Empson; Arthur Waley
Author Biography: Yao Dadui, Professor, School of Humanities, Hainan University. His research focuses on comparative literature and world literature. E-mail: yaodadui@foxmail.com.
Received: 04 Feb 2026 / Revised: 26 Apr 2026 / Accepted: 27 Apr 2026 / Published online: 30 Apr 2026 / Print published: 30 May 2026.
