摘要：近日，山东大学外国语学院学子参与了《博物志》的国际传播实践项目，与外籍学生共同探讨书中记录的种种奇异现象。与此同时，《博物志》翻译者郑春光副教授也分享了如何在保留原有文化内涵的同时，让英语读者能够理解这些充满东方特色的形象。

近日，山东大学外国语学院学子参与了《博物志》的国际传播实践项目，与外籍学生共同探讨书中记录的种种奇异现象。与此同时，《博物志》翻译者郑春光副教授也分享了如何在保留原有文化内涵的同时，让英语读者能够理解这些充满东方特色的形象。

Recently, students from the School of Foreign Languages and Literature at Shandong University participated in the international communication practice project for Book of Curiosities, engaging in discussions with international students about the fantastic and bizarre accounts recorded in the book. Meanwhile, Associate Professor Zheng Chunguang, the translator ofBook of Curiosities, shared insights on how he preserved the original cultural meanings while ensuring that English readers could understand the Eastern images.

根据四库分类纲目，《博物志》属于琐语类，记载了大量其时代的部分科技成果。

According to the classification system of the Siku QuanshuBook of Curiositiesis classified under “Miscellaneous Remarks”. It documents significant scientific and technological achievements of its era.

《博物志》中还有更多光怪陆离的记载，无论是掌管生灵魂魄的泰山神，还是一青一赤的比翼鸟，抑或是燃烧着熊熊烈火的玄妙海洋沃焦，都体现了中国古人对于未知的探索和自然的求知欲。

Yet the “Book of Curiosities” contains even more fantastic and bizarre accounts. Whether it's the God of Mount Tai overseeing human souls, the conjoined bird Biyiniao, or the mysterious blazing ocean Wojiao burning with raging fire, they all embody the ancient Chinese people's spirit of exploring into the unknown and their thirst for knowledge about nature.

除此之外，还有很多和西方类似的形象，比如《博物志》卷三中，有关于“鲛人”记载。据《博物志》翻译者郑春光介绍，书中如鲛人泣珠的意象，虽然蕴含着深厚的东方文化内涵，却往往被西方读者误读为美人鱼形象。在翻译过程中，他力求让英语读者既能理解原作的独特文化背景，又不失其诗意之美。

Furthermore, the book features many figures surprisingly similar to Western counterparts. For instance, in Book 3, there are records of the “Jiaoren”. Associate Professor Zheng Chunguang, the translator of Book of Curiosities, explained that imagery such as the “Jiaoren” in the book, while rich in Eastern cultural significance, is often misunderstood by Western readers as a mere depiction of mermaids. In his translation, he strives to help English-speaking readers both appreciate the unique cultural context of the original text and preserve its poetic beauty.

“在翻译鲛人的时候，我主要从两个方面考虑。首先是保留其根，我保留了音译的名称鲛人。由此，锚用它的东方身份向英语读者宣告，这是一个中国独有的文化意象。同时它又不同于英文的美人鱼，我通过 mermaid like 来建立一种认知。希望英语的读者能够迅速联想到一个熟悉的形象。Like 这个词暗示了一种相似而非等同。西方美人鱼的形象经常和自然、神秘、爱情、诱惑相关，但是鲛人我们的鲛人是不废织绩，他有一种劳动属性。他即使生活在水里，他也一直在劳作。这也表明了我们中国古人他一直在劳动，生生不息的一种生活观。

“While translating ‘Jiaoren’, I focus on two key dimensions. Firstly, preserving its root. I retained the transliterated name ‘Jiaoren’. Thus announcing through its inherent Eastern identity to English readers that this is a uniquely Chinese cultural image. Meanwhile, in order to set it apart from the Western mermaid, I used the term ‘mermaid like’ to establish a cognitive bridge. This helps English readers instantly think of a familiar image they know, making it easier to understand. The term ‘like’ implies resemblance, not equivalence. While Western mermaids are often linked to nature, mystery, romance, and temptation, our Jiaoren, is quite different. It never stops weaving. That’s the core trait of this being: labor. Even living underwater, it perpetually toils. This reflects the ancient Chinese worldview: life sustained through ceaseless work.

《博物志》中还有很多对于外国读者来说是匪夷所思的现象。比如里面的厌光国，说那里的人口里能吐光，浑身发黑，然后长得像猿猴一样，能吐火。外国读者可能觉得这像奇幻故事里的怪兽。但是我们古人记载它，包含着我们古人对异质生命的一种包容。我们并不把它们作为一种怪物，而是纳入我们天下的版图。这也表明了对世界的一种多样性的认可。”

As we know, records of Book of Curiositiesdescribe many phenomena that may seem utterly fantastical to foreign readers. For example, in the Kingdom of Yanhuo, the people can breathe fire from their mouths. In images, they resemble apes, with blackened skin. While foreign readers may view them as fantasy monsters, our ancestors’ documentation reveals a profound openness to life that differed from their own. Instead of labeling them as monsters, we include them into our vision of a shared world. This also shows our recognition of worldly diversity.”

《博物志》虽然不如《山海经》那般广为人知，但其瑰丽丰富的想象与详实丰富的记载早已构成中华传统文化的重要组成部分。不管什么时候，只要翻开这本包罗万象的《博物志》，就能看到一个别样的中国。

Though not as widely known as the Classic of Mountains and Seasthe Book of Curiositieshas become an integral part of traditional Chinese culture through its magnificent imagination and meticulous documentation. No matter when you open it, this all-encompassingBook of Curiosities, reveals a different China.（来源：山东大学外国语学院 中文：李德正 王佳璇 翻译：扶宇璠 张紫琦 杜研 郑春光）

本文来自【济南国际传播中心】，仅代表作者观点。全国党媒信息公共平台提供信息发布传播服务。

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来源：全国党媒信息公共平台