4.3.4 Gestalt characteristic of proximity
According to the principle of proximity in perceptual organization，it is obvious that，with a good command of the proximal way Gestalt qualities of images“assembled”in literary discourse，translators show an intrinsic perceptual pattern on image-G recognition.Take an example from the translation of Cao Zhi's writings“The Fair Maiden”（曹植《美女篇》）：[7]
美女妖且闲，采桑歧路间。
Meinüyao qie xian,caisang qilu jian.
柔条纷冉冉，叶落何翩翩。
Routiao fen ranran,yeluo he pianpian.
攘袖见素手，皓腕约金环。
Rangxiu jian sushou,haowan yue jinhuan.
头上金爵钗，腰佩翠琅玕。
Toushang jin juechai,yao pei cui langgan.
明珠交玉体，珊瑚间木难。
Mingzhu jiao yuti,shanhu jian munan.
罗衣何飘飘，轻裾随风还。
Luoyi he piaopiao,qingju suifeng huan.
顾盼遗光彩，长啸气若兰。
Gupan yi guangcai,changxiao qi ruolan.
行徒用息驾，休者以忘餐。
Xingtu yong xijia,xiuzhe yi wangcan.
借问女安居，乃在城南端。
Jiewen nüanju,nai zai cheng nanduan.
青楼临大路，高门结重关。
Qinglou lin dalu,gaomen jie chongguan.
容华耀朝日，谁不希令颜？
Ronghua yao zhaori,shui bu xi lingyan?
A maiden fair is full of charm and grace.
She gathers mulberry leaves at crisscross place.
The tender branches rustle one and all;
How many mulberry leaves moan and fall!
Her arms so white are seen with sleeves uprolled;(https://www.daowen.com)
Around her wrist a bracelet made of gold.
A golden sparrow pin adorns her hair;
A green jade pendant hangs at her waist fair.
Her lovely form encompassed with pearls bright
And carol and blue glass beads left and right.
How do her silken dresses flow with gentle breeze!
Her melting glance reveals her shining eye;
In her sweet breath you hear the orchid sigh.
The travelers en route would halt their car;
Those resting would forget where their meals are.
If you ask where is her house renown,
It stands at the southern end of the town.
Her house by the highway has floor on floor;
It's green with high gate and double door.
She looks as radiant as the morning sun.
Who'd not admire such a beautiful one?
Why are the busy go-between delayed?
Where are betrothal gifts of silk and jade?
The maiden fair longs for a worthy mate;
It's hard to find one,so she has to wait.
People in vain may gossip a great deal.
What do they know of her lofty ideal?
She lives alone at her prime,fair and bright.
How can she not sigh at dead of night?
(Translated by Xu Yuanchong)
His translation gives a detailed description of a beauty who plucks mulberry leaves by the roadside.A series of proximal segmental images in TT are perceived to almost lifelike in several aspects of her appearance,expression,dress and personal adornment,which helps exhibit aesthetic grouping implied in the discourse.More specifically,the images of sushou(white arms),haowan(snow-like wrist)and yuti(lovely form)share certain characteristics that are in closer proximity with each other regarding color and body parts.It furnishes directions that enable the translator to be fully cognizant of aesthetic contour of the beauty's flawless pale skin,which presents the identical configuration of Gestalt qualities about noble nature and unsullied character.As the beauty's fine jewelry and brilliant ornaments,the images of jinhuan(a bracelet made of gold),jinjuechai(a golden sparrow pin),cui langgan(a green jade pendant),mingzhu(bright pearls)and shanhu(carol and blue glass)that are in closer proximity with each another appear to be discerned as aesthetic contour in TT.In a word,the translator gained an intuitive perception about elegant demeanour of a graceful,demure and dazzling lady.The images of luoyi(silken dresses),qingju(light skirt),piaopiao(flow with ease)and shuifeng huan(flutter with gentle breeze)share certain characteristics that are in closer proximity respecting natural elegance of the beauty's flowing dress and a graceful posture.In addition,the closer proximity about images of gupan(melting glance),changxiao(the orchid sigh),guangcai(shining eyes)and ruolan(sweet breath)are served to highlight aesthetic contour of the beauty's refreshing facial expression and aristocratic mien in TT.
However,charming as the beauty is,she cannot even find an ideal husband.As the translator implied in his translation,the poet with ideals and integrity is poetically compared to the beauty who suffered the same fate.That is,ambitious and able as the poet was,he had no chance to realize his ideals.In the translation,all these are mapped onto the Gestalt significance of thematic artistic conception of image-G,namely,the poet's self-pitying emotion and being frustrated for his talent having gone unnoticed.The chain of aesthetic contour formed by the proximal segmental images in poem,is woven into a transfering,harmonious,mutual germinal and extension network which serves in the conveyance of abstract image-G at the same time.In such case,it is not far-fetched to assume that the translator's keen insight into a series of proximal segmental images facilitates him in recognizing holistic image-G of ST.