知识翻译史聚焦于知识发展中的翻译,糅合了翻译的内部史与外部史。本文从这一视角探析了近代化学史家吴鲁强对《抱朴子内篇》中地方性炼丹术知识的跨语际加工、重构和传播,旨在促进中国古代化学史的国际传播,并秉承求真之态度来考校底本,注重保留科学史料的文化异质性和平衡西方读者的阅读期待。吴鲁强的翻译行为在中国科学翻译史上占有一席之地,而且助推了国际上中国科技史研究的学科史研究。见微知著,知识翻译史路径的中国古代科技文献英译史研究理应受到重视,从而以更广阔的历史视野揭示中国科学知识翻译的世界性意义。

The focal point of knowledge translation history rests with the translation in knowledge development, and it gives equal consideration to the internal and external history of translation. Therefore, this paper explores the modern chemical historian Lu-Ch’iang Wu’s English translation of Baopuzi Neipian from the perspective of knowledge translation history, trying to uncover the inter-lingual processing, reconstruction, and dissemination of Chinese ancient alchemy knowledge. It is revealed that Wu aims to promote the global dissemination of ancient Chinese chemical history, and he adheres to a truth-seeking attitude to select the Chinese version. He also emphasizes the preservation of cultural heterogeneity in science-related historical materials and balances the Western readers’ expectations. His deed should be highlighted in the translation history of Chinese science, and he contributed to the disciplinary history study of Chinese science and civilization internationally. It is thus advocated that knowledge translation history should be valued for the study of English translation history of Chinese scientific and technological classics, thus revealing the global significance of Chinese science knowledge translation from a broader historical perspective.