Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies ›› 2024, Vol. 24 ›› Issue (2): 163-175.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-8921.2024.02.015

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New Pathways in Translation History Research from a Microhistorical Perspective: A Review of Dialogue between the Dragon and the Lion

XU Wensheng(), WAN Ju   

  • Online:2024-04-28 Published:2024-04-28

Abstract:

Currently, research in translation history has seen a shift from traditional “a view from above” methods to “a view from below” microhistorical perspective. Translation history research integrates both history and translation without bias or neglect to either. The Macartney Mission’s visit to China in 1792, marking the first official communication between Chinese and British officials, had profound and far-reaching impacts. Yet, the significant role of translation in this event and the communication issues it presented are little known and deserve recognition. Dialogue between the Dragon and the Lion meticulously unravels the visit from a translation history perspective, drawing on a wealth of precious archives and new materials, showcasing the importance of translation in modern Chinese diplomatic activities. The book is rich in data and rigorous in argumentation, offering new insights into many aspects of the Mission and filling existing research gaps. It not only re-examines and reconstructs the historical memory of the Mission but also represents an innovative integration in translation history research. Breaking disciplinary barriers in terms of source material utilization, research perspectives, and methodologies, the book reflects and integrates with each other, providing significant references and models for modern Chinese translation history and Sino-British diplomatic history research. It offers insights and elucidations that are conducive to advancing the depth of research in Chinese translation history.

Key words: translation history research, microhistory, Dialogue between the Dragon and the Lion

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