Chinese Herald Dongying years
Author: Riko Motoyama
"Manyoshu" has been handed down so far, has been 1200 years, in the long river of history, it may be a small river, but in the history of literature, its weight is equivalent to the level of China's "Book of Songs", naturally, "Manyoshu" in 1200 years, encountered a lot of translations, just like a plate of jewelry, different designers will create different works, and even the color matching of the arrangement also achieves different magnificence.
When "Manyoshu" meets Jin Xiaoming, just like meeting a confidant in life, Jin Xiaoming's translation of "Manyoshu" not only gives the charm of the Chinese "Book of Poetry", but also reproduces the innate four seasons of the Japan nation and mourning, and at the same time presents some unique "character beauty" and "sound joy" unique to Chinese characters, which can be said to be a luxurious version of the Japanese style Chinese rhyme "Manyoshu".
Photo courtesy of Okayama Museum of Art
King Nueda (ぬかたのおほきみ) in Volume 1 was a female royal family in Japan during the Asuka period in the 7th century, and was revered as "Manyo Singer". At the beginning of Jin Xiaoming's magnum opus, she chose her song, which can be described as unique:
Akanesasu Murasakino to Shimono to Nomori wa Mizuya you shake your sleeve
If translated into modern Japanese, the 24-character waka becomes 60 characters:
As you go through the field of purple grass, which is full of red color, and go through the forbidden field, will not the keeper of the field see? I want you to shake your sleeves.
Jin Xiaoming chose to use the traditional Chinese five-character quatrain near-body poem translation, only 20 words, the meaning is clearly expressed, and the unique "word beauty" of Chinese characters jumps on the paper:
The ministers galloped towards the purple field, and the hunting horses wandered.
With such a wave of his sleeves, how busy can he be.
I noticed that these 20 words, four sentences, each sentence has a verb, and these verbs, vividly show the movement of the hunting vision of the royal family of the King of Etian, especially the couplet "so you wave your sleeves, how can you be busy", the word "wave" and the "eye busy" in the final sentence form a clear echo, so that the whole poem is more full of tension, and the ancient "hunting" magnificent picture, clear and smooth in front of the reader.
The word "wave" of the finishing touch, echoing the "eye busy", vividly expresses the joy in the heart of King Eda, and the heartbeat and melancholy of meeting his former lover that cannot be concealed.
This seemingly ordinary verb is full of Jin Xiaoming's many years of translation work, from the simultaneous translation of the central and large scenes in his youth, to the thoroughness of his professional knowledge of the study of classical Japan literature in his middle age, reflecting the translator's comprehensive and in-depth research on the history of King Nuta, the era of King Nuta, the period of Asuka, and the imperial family.
China's princes, generals, and even emperors are both congenital and acquired. The biggest difference between the imperial family of Japan and the imperial family of China is that they are a family of all generations, so while naturally enjoying glory and wealth, they do not have the freedom of ordinary people, and cannot talk about love willfully, but things always have losses and profits, and the only freedom is that they can freely chant poetry, whether it is men or women, they can place their thoughts and love in waka songs.
Reading Jin Xiaoming's translation of the Five Uniques, I saw the magnificent picture of the eternal beauty King Nueda wearing a dark red kimono hunting costume, galloping in a hunting garden dedicated to the imperial family with purple flowers, one red and one purple, one flower and one sword, and imagined that this person who had a lover relationship with Emperor Tenchi, but regardless of the sight of the guards, gladly accepted the appearance of the prince of the sea man who frequently waved his sleeves to show his love.
Jin Xiaoming's translation of "Wanye Collection", most of them use five-character quatrains, which are the most difficult genre to write in near-style poetry, because it has the least number of words, and each word plays a 100% role, that is, not a single waste word is allowed, and it really achieves conciseness and conciseness.
Any translation system has its pros and cons, and looking at the background and sense of the times of "Manyoshu", I have to say that it is indeed more appropriate to translate with five-character quatrains, and this is not to belittle other translation systems. However, due to the strict number of words, especially the translation of "Manyoshu" and songs of different nationalities and different eras, it is especially difficult to fit into its own translation system, which is especially difficult compared with the poems of other translation systems, and it is even more difficult to be short and long. And Jin Xiaoming's five uniques have both Wang Bo's five uniques and unhurriedness, as well as Meng Haoran's five uniques. In this sense, "Wanye Collection" met Jin Xiaoming, and "Wanye Collection" has also become a bright pearl.
Over the years, Jin Xiaoming has insisted on publishing his translation of "Manyoshu" and songs in famous media newspapers and magazines in Japan, specifically I heard that he began to translate this "Manyoshu" in 2015, which is how much love for classical literature can persevere, and successfully publish a book.
At a time when people are generally pursuing short, flat and fast projects, being able to willingly calm down and study and translate "Wanye Collection" is not only the pride of Jin Xiaoming's literati but also the pursuit of Jin Xiaoming's elegant scholars, which is really rare, unforgettable, and difficult to chase.
Finally, I was curious to see what it would look like to be on the cover of this book through the ages. When I first saw the cover of this [Poetry Translation "Ten Thousand Leaves"], I couldn't help but be amazed, I couldn't put it down, the cover was made of high-quality paper, the color is calm, elegant and warm, antique, bringing the ultimate reading enjoyment.
Jin Xiaoming's Profile:
Overseas Chinese in Japan, famous translator. He graduated from Dalian University of Foreign Chinese in 1977, majoring in Japanese. Japanese translation by Zeng Qian, former Vice President of the People's Republic of China, Wang Zhen, and former Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang. Participated in the first Japan government loan negotiations with China and served as an interpreter. Japanese translation of the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship. On behalf of Chinese government departments, he has organized reception and served as an interpreter for large delegations to China from the Japan government and non-governmental organizations. He has participated in many delegations to Japan organized by Chinese government departments. He has served as a translator for NHK press conferences and live broadcasts in Japan. He has published more than 300 translated works in various books, magazines, media and conferences at home and abroad. Translated and released four films. In 1986, he was born in Dongying. He is currently the president of the Sino-Japanese Translators Association and the vice president of the Japan Chinese Writers Association.