中国文学外译的一个重要问题在于中国译者与外国读者之间的认知隔阂。对此,象山心学的“知本”说体现出重要的借鉴意义:中国译者通常存在认知弊病,即局限于作为片面性阐释结果的文本意义,难以兼容其他理解方式,因而陷入“我注六经”的思维泥沼,造成与外国读者之间的认知隔阂;如能超越对文本意义的拘泥思维,秉承“知本”观,立足认知的根源——本心,译者便得以迈向“六经注我”的自在心态。在“六经注我”的思维下,译者反观内省,彰明本心,并通过“人同此心,心同此理”的本心获得通融视阈,从而增强译者与外国读者之间的认知共鸣,推动中国文学外译的读者接受。该翻译观基于象山心学这一中国传统哲学思想,有助于形成有别于西方、具有鲜明中国特色的译学话语,为突显“文化自信”主旋律下中国译学的国家意识作出贡献。

Cognitive estrangement is a formidable barrier to the outward translation of Chinese literature (OTCL), for which the Luian mindological awareness of benxin (original innocent mind) provides a solution. The cognitive bias of Chinese translators is characterized as an obsession with textual meaning, a partial-horizon interpretation that is incompatible with other perspectives and thus leads to the isolating mindset recognized for footnoting. Furthermore, this mindset is a cause of translators’ alienation from foreign readers, but if the obsession with textual meaning is transcended, benxin would emerge as the ultimate source of cognition, allowing access toward the ideo-realm known as being footnoted. Benxin, which is released through introspection, eliminates translators’ cognitive barriers, generates a vision that is harmoniously compatible with foreign readers’, and enhances cognitive empathy, thereby facilitating acceptance of OTCL. This Luian orientation contributes to the distinctive discourses of China’s translation studies and, by extension, to the country’s culturally confident national consciousness.