Re-Evaluation of Lin Shu (the Chinese Translator) - National ...

156 Re-Evaluation of Lin Shu (the Chinese Translator):A Systemic Approach to Literary TranslationB. Ideology and the Translating Method Employed by LinShuIn the early modern China, translators, including Lin Shumainly adopted domestication. Lin Shu’s choice of translatingmethod is primarily embodied in his constant adaptation of theoriginal to the perceived needs of Chinese culture and theacceptability of his translations to Chinese readers. Here ideologyalso played a part in Lin Shu’s choice of translating method. Lin’sintention was to consolidate Chinese culture by applying Westernlearning.In early modern times, Chinese intellectuals looked toWestern civilization. Translation was prosperous and it attained aprimary position in the Chinese literary world. It was usual andpredictable for translators during that period to break traditionalChinese conventions and adopt the mode of foreignization.Nevertheless, translators including Lin Shu still conformed to theexisting norms and employed the domesticating mode of translationfor the most part.. This was partly due to the necessity of the socialideology in early modern China as well as the traditional Chineseideology. Lin Shu produced a domesticated translated texts forChinese readers’ convenience. In Uncle Tom’s Cabin, somecharacters were reformed by Tom’s behavior and come to believe inChristianity. However, in its Chinese version, their change isexplained form the perspective of morality instead of Christianity.Unlike the original that demonstrates the victory of Christianity, LinShu’s version shows that the change of Sambo and Quimbo is basedon the famous Chinese idea that human beings are born to be kind(Martha P. Y. Cheung, 2003: 17).Lin Shu’s main concern in his translating enterprises was notto be faithful to the original, but to follow the ideology of his timesand consolidate the traditional Chinese ideology. Thus he