4.2.2 Aesthetic actualization of image-G
4.2.2.1 Aesthetic essence in literary translation
Literary works are fundamentally characterized by varied themes，variable modes，elegant verbalization and exquisite aesthetic image.In that case，a refined version of literary works is not only the linguistic and rhetorical representation，but also the cognitive and aesthetic actualization of original text because every piece of literary text is scenes-and-frames integration.Aesthetic essence in text is evoked by the way how translators mentally visualize it in ST as well as reconstruct and actualize it in TT.As a form of aesthetic metaphrase，literary translation is that translators artistically comprehend the image structure in ST and then appropriately reconstruct the aesthetic image and conceptual system so that a target reader may be inspired，moved and aesthetically entertained in the same way as one reads the original.Take an example from the translation of Wang Wei's poem“One Mission to the Frontier”（王维《使至塞上》）[1]：
大漠孤烟直，长河落日圆。
Damo guyan zhi,changhe luori yuan.
In boundless desert lonely smokes rise straight.
Over endless river the sun sinks round.
(Translated by Xu Yuanchong)
The two lines portray a true wonder of nature of spectacular desertscenery near the frontier fortress,which arouses visual beauty and pleasant sensation by vivid image spacing description:The size type is characterized by the fierce contrast of damo(boundless desert)and guyan(smokes)as well as changhe(endless river)and luori(sun sinks).This view indicates that a holistic system specific to Chinese aesthetic essence has evolved contrast with zhi(straight)and yuan(round),which makes picturesque features of guyan(lonely smokes)and luori(sun sinks).Xu Yuanchong mentally visualized the aesthetic essence of the original at first and then built up a stereoscopic picture by putting guyan(smoke)into“lonely smokes rise straight”,luori(sunset)into“the sun sinks round”:“rise straight”is an exact recapture of the smoke rising into the air in a shape of a feather by a complete contrast to“boundless desert”;“sinks round”accurately portrays the fashion and hue of luori(sun sinks)by a complete contrast to“endless river”,which can effortlessly arouse the translator's asymmetrical striking aesthetic experiences of a high-degreed accordance with the ST.
4.2.2.2 Aesthetic equivalence and image-G
Translators'mental actualization of image-G brings light into their underlying mechanism of aesthetic perception and thus reach holistic correspondence of its aesthetic effects.It becomes clear in the following procedure that the aesthetic equivalence of image-G actualization is realized in the continuous interaction between translators and ST through flexible application of aesthetic operation such as imaginative and figurative faculties.By taking full advantage of ST-based schema and TT-based schema of image-G，translators realize a consistency of aesthetic experience of image-G（Gibbs，1995）.Meanwhile，however，translators have no access to aesthetic equivalence of image-G actualization independent of a consistency of aesthetic experience.It seems，then，that translators，who are in isomorphic harmony with ST-based schema of image-G itself，can identificate with authors'aesthetic experience with reference to a consistency of aesthetic experience.Image-G in ST can be properly actualized to preserve the original aesthetic values and to acquire matching aesthetic equivalence of TT-based schema.Take an example from the translation of Sikong Tu's poem“One Mission to the Frontier”（司空图《二十四诗品·沉着》）：[2]
绿衫野屋，落日气清。
Lüshan yewu,luori qiqing.
脱巾独步，时闻鸟声。
Tuojin dubu,shiwen niaosheng.
鸿雁不来，之子远行。
Hongyan bulai,zhi zi yuanxing.
所思不远，若为平生。
Suosi buyuan,ruowei pingsheng.
海风碧云，夜渚月明。
Haifeng biyun,yezhu yueming.
如有佳语，大河前横。
Ru you jiayu,dahe qianheng.
A hut in the wood green.
Sun setting,an aura serene.
In casual dress for a walk alone.(https://www.daowen.com)
Bird's song steeped in twilight's tone.
The bosom friend in strange land will stay.
No tidings by wild geese,to one's dismay.
Yet the image always seems not far away,
And as intimate as in the good old day.
Clouds set in commotion by a sea gale.
The creek lies still in moonlight pale.
Suddenly a river looms large across,
The moment some poetic insight crops.
(Translated by Xu Yuanchong)
The writings bring out the image-G as a whole by three textual functions in ST.Indeed,the three textual functions seem like a very cooperativeorganization in which the partners are fully“link-and-come”to each other.The first four lines present an invigorating autumn climate by describing a variety of natural scene images,which implies the systemic-functional image-G as the author's intoxicating joyfulness with harmonious coexistence with nature.The fifth and sixth lines demonstrate that the author is in a despondent mood because he is not keeping on shut cocking letters with a long time friend,which implies the systemic-functional image-G as drizzling melancholy and thickening yearning in the author.The last four lines take on the picture that clouds are pale and a light breeze is blowing by drawing an open and broad landscape,which implies the systemic-functional image-G as the author's smoothing equanimity by placing the longing for the friend into the fine scenery.
Xu formulated a mental conception of the aesthetic veining of image-G out of ST at first and then interpreted the three successive diagram framework to give rise to a high degree of aesthetic equivalence:“sun setting”,“an aura serene”and“stepped in twilight's tone”manifest themselves in the scene of lonesome mountains where birds are singing and indicate the real coherence emotion of cheerfulness as ST.“To one's dismay”has precise aesthetic equivalence to emotionally distracted and listless mind in ST.“As intimate as in the good day”and“the moment some poetic insight crops”can be made accessible to target readers into epiphanic insight with the transcendental spiritual solace from the communion with natural beauty in the original image-G.
4.2.2.3 Aesthetic quality of harmony and image-G
As an aesthetic object，a literary discourse bears the aesthetic quality of harmony.Image-G is a product combined by the abstract imagery with subjective sensation and experience.The comparability between these two aspects lies in that they both require the harmony of feeling and scene.In classic Chinese poetry，imagery is partial and specific，while image-G is overall and is an organic unity.Imagery can be caught from the specific description of poetry，while image-G need be caught outside the poetry language.The combination of ideorealm（image-G）and scenery（imagery）brings about a harmonious poetic quality of classic Chinese poetry.The ideorealm of classic Chinese poetry is a realm or harmonious picture which can break through the constraints of space and time with vivid imagery，graceful poetic language，and stirs up translators'aesthetic conception of image-G.In translators'aesthetic actualizing of image-G，image-G can be deemed as an aesthetic category which consists of factual imagery and artistic ideorealm represented in ST.Thus it is clear that the cognitive embodiment of factual imagery and artistic ideorealm which are crucial to the aesthetic actualization of image-G is needed to be realized by translators.As Jiang（2002：49-50）writes about cognitive embodiment：“Aesthetic actualization of the image is indispensable in literary translation，so that aesthetic experience is activated and the text is comprehended in more manifested aspects.The transition from the image-G into goal-language exponents would be more equivalent than item for item replacement，and subjective data in representations can be organized to form a unified experience”，translators'cognitive embodiment does not exist，and is not learned，outside the distinctive aesthetic experience of which it is an integral part.Translators'aesthetic schema of image-G would not be an ordinary schema but a high-level conceptual structure that organized the ways of comprehending when translators are in specific literary contexts.Take an example from the translation of Li Shangyin's poem“Ascending the Leyou Height”（李商隐《登乐游原》）：[3]
向晚意不适，驱车登古原。
Xiangwan yi bushi,quche deng guyuan.
夕阳无限好，只是近黄昏。
Xiyang wuxian hao,zhishi jin huanghun.
At dusk my heart is filled with gloom,
I drive my cab to ancient Tomb.
The setting sun appears sublime.
But oh!’tis near its dying time.
(Translated by Xu Yuanchong)
The original poem written by Li Shangyin is highly refined and aesthetically constructed to the ideorealm of the poet's bemoaning of declined Tang Dynasty.The poem's aesthetic quality of harmony is delineated in ideorealm frames by the artistic coherence of image-G actualization.This is in a successively scenic progression rather than isolated imagery matching.The ideorealm frame thus regulates at least the overall harmonious aesthetic quality and thereby gives hints to the artistic quintessence of the splendid sunset at dusk which expresses the sense of alienation.In other words,the ideorealm frame is performed as a continuous series of mental images in the translator's holistic process of perceiving the essence of artistic picture(image-G).Therefore,in the translator's aesthetic actualization of image-G,each individual image emerges against the background of the ideorealm frame,which is thereby given its presented frame in the overall continuity of artistic conception.Xu models the common perception of a reader“getting inside”a literary text as he takes a cognitive stance within the mentally constructed world of the poem.His construal of individual imagery is served as associated implication which triggers the construction of image-G and indicates the nature of the artistic connection between each imagery and the one from which it is constructed.