Anthology of Chinese Discourse on Translation (Volume 1)

Martha P.Y. Cheung received her PhD in English and American Literature from the University of Kent at Canterbury. She is now Professor and Head of the Translation Programme and Director of the Centre for Translation at Hong Kong Baptist University. She has translated many works of Chinese Literature into English, including the work of Han Shaogong (Homecoming? And Other Stories, 1992), Liu Sola (Blue Sky Green Sea and Other Stories, 1993), and Hong Kong poets such as Leung Ping Kwan (Foodscape, 1997 and Travelling with a Bitter Melon, 2002). She co-edited (with Jane C.C. Lai) and translated (with Jane C.C. Lai and others) An Oxford Anthology of Contemporary Chinese Drama (1997) and co-translated (with Jane C.C. Lai) 100 Excerpts from Zen Buddhist Texts (1997). She is Editor-in-Chief (Chinese translation) of the Oxford Children's Encyclopedia (9 volumes, 2082 entries, 1998), and Editor-in-Chief (English translation) of An Illustrated Chinese Materia Medica in Hong Kong (506 entries, 2004). She edited and translated (with Jane C.C. Lai and others) Hong Kong Collage: Contemporary Stories and Writing (1998). She has written articles on translation criticism, translation history, translation theory and the teaching of translation.

• PART ONE: FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO THE EASTERN HAN DYNASTY (25-220 CE)OVERVIEW1Laozi (b. c. 570 BCE)THE CONSTANT WAY (TAO)From Chapter 1, Tao-te-ching 2Laozi (b. c. 570 BCE)TRUSTWORTHY WORDS ARE NOT BEAUTIFULFrom Chapter 81, Tao-te-ching 3Kongzi (Confucius) (traditionally 551-479 BCE)FINE WORDS CAN HARDLY BE PART OF TRUE VIRTUEFrom Verse 3, Book 1, Lunyu (The Analects)4Kongzi (Confucius) (traditionally 551-479 BCE)LEARN TO DEVELOP MORAL QUALITIESFrom Verse 6, Book 1, Lunyu (The Analects)5Kongzi (Confucius) (traditionally 551-479 BCE)A LEARNED MANFrom Verse 7, Book 1, Lunyu (The Analects)6Kongzi (Confucius) (traditionally 551-479 BCE)SUBSTANCE AND ATTENTION TO FORM AND BEAUTYFrom Verse 18, Book 6, Lunyu (The Analects)7Kongzi (Confucius) (traditionally 551-479 BCE)THE ABSOLUTE ESSENTIALFrom Verse 7, Book 12, Lunyu (The Analects)8Kongzi (Confucius) (traditionally 551-479 BCE)SINCERITY IS ALL-IMPORTANTFrom Verse 18, Book 15, Lunyu (The Analects)9Kongzi (Confucius) (traditionally 551-479 BCE)GET YOUR MEANING ACROSSFrom Verse 41, Book 15, Lunyu (The Analects)10Kongzi (Confucius) (traditionally 551-479 BCE)HE WHO IS SINCERE WILL BE TRUSTEDFrom Verse 6, Book 17, Lunyu (The Analects)11(Attributed to) Kongzi (Confucius) (traditionally 551-479 BCE)HOW MUCH USE CAN THERE BE IN A MINOR ART?From "Xiaobian" (Minor Arts), Chapter 74, Da Dai liji (Elder Dai's Book of Rites)12(Attributed to) Kongzi (Confucius) (traditionally 551-479 BCE)THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND MEANINGFrom "Xici zhuan shang" (Appended Statements, Part 1, Chapter 12), Zhouyi (Zhou Changes)13(Attributed to) Kongzi (Confucius) (traditionally 551-479 BCE)THE MAN OF TRUE VIRTUEFrom "Wenyanzhuan qianjiusan" (Sayings on Patterning [with reference to] the Third Line of Hexagram 1, Qian or Heaven), Zhouyi (Zhou Changes)14(Attributed to) Kongzi (Confucius) (traditionally 551-479 BCE)LITERARY PATTERNING GIVES FORCE TO LANGUAGEFrom "Xianggong Ershiwunian" (The 25th year of Duke Xiang [of Lu] [548 BCE]), in Chunqiu Zuozhuan Zhengyi (The Chronicles of Zuo)15(Attributed to) Zuo Qiuming (556-451? BCE)INTERPRETERS ALSO KNOWN AS "TONGUE-MEN"From "Zhouyu zhong" (Zhou Discourses, Part 2), in Guoyu (Discourses of the States), Volume 216Mengzi (372-289 BCE)THE RIGHT WAY IS TO READ WITH EMPATHYFrom Passage 4, Chapter 9, Mengzi17(Attributed to) Zhuangzi (369-286 BCE)WHAT IS VALUED IN WORDS IS NOT WHERE THE VALUE OF WORDS LIESFrom "Tiandao" (The Way of Heaven), in Zhuangzi, with annotations by Wang Bi and Guo Xiang18(Attributed to) Zhuangzi (369-286 BCE)ONCE YOU HAVE GOT THE IDEA, THE WORDS ARE FORGOTTENFrom "Waiwu" (External Things), in Zhuangzi, with annotations by Wang Bi and Guo Xiang19Xunzi (340?-245? BCE)THE ELEGANT AND PROPER STANDARDFrom "Yuelun" (A Discussion of Music), in Xunzi, Volume 1420Han Fei (280-233 BCE)THE MAN OF TRUE VIRTUE CHERISHES SUBSTANCE AND FROWNS UPON PURE EMBELLISHMENTFrom "Jielao" (Explaining the Laozi), in Hanfeizi, Volume 621Zhou RitesAuthor unknownTHE DUTIES OF GOVERNMENT INTERPRETERS IN ANCIENT TIMESFrom "Xiangxu" (Interpreting-functionaries), in "Qiuguan sikou xia" (Ministry of Justice, Part 2), collected in Zhouli (Zhou Rites), Volume 1022Zhou RitesAuthor unknownTHE TRAINING OF INTERPRETERSFrom "Da xingren" (Senior Messenger), in "Qiuguan sikou xia" (Ministry of Justice, Part 2), collected in Zhouli (Zhou Rites), Volume 1023Lü Buwei (d. 235 BCE)ONE WOULD HAVE NO NEED FOR XIÀNG, YÌ OR DÍDĪFrom "Shenshi" (Heeding the Circumstances), in Lüshi chunqiu (The Annals of Lü Buwei), Volume 1724Dai Sheng (fl. 74-49 BCE)MAKING ACCESSIBLE WHAT IS IN THE MINDS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLES AND MAKING THEIR LIKINGS AND PREFERENCES UNDERSTOODFrom "Wangzhi" (Royal Institutions), in Liji (Book of Rites), Volume 425(Attributed to) Fu Sheng (268-178 BCE)AN ANCIENT RECORD OF INTERPRETING ACTIVITIESFrom "Jiahe" (Luxuriant Grain), in Shangshu dazhuan (Amplification of the Book of History), Volume 4PART TWO: THE BUDDHIST PROJECTGENERAL REMARKSSECTION ONEDISCOURSE ON SUTRA TRANSLATION: INITIAL STAGEOVERVIEW26(About) An Shigao (fl. second century CE)ELOQUENT WITHOUT BEING FLOWERY, UNHEWN WITHOUT BEING COARSEFrom "An Shigao zhuan" (A Biography of An Shigao), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 1327Liu Xi (fl. 147-220 CE)APPROXIMATE THE STANDARD LANGUAGEFrom "Shi dianyi" (Explanation of the Exact Meanings of Canons and Conventions), in Shiming (The Explanation of Names), Volume 628(About) Lokakṣema (b. 147 CE)NOT A TOUCH OF EMBELLISHMENT IN THE STYLEFrom "Zhi Chen zhuan" (A Biography of Lokakṣema), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 1329Zhi Qian (fl. 233-253 CE)LACKING IN FELICITYFrom "Faju jing xu" (Preface to [the Translation of] the Dharmapāda), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 730Wang Bi (226-249 CE)IMAGES, WORDS, AND IDEASFrom "Mingxiang" (Elucidating the Images), Zhouyi lüeli (General Remarks on the Zhou Changes)31Kang Senghui (d. 280 CE) RUISM AND BUDDHISM TEACH CERTAIN VALUES IN COMMONFrom "Kang Senghui" (Kang Senghui), from "Yijingpian yi"(一) (On the Translation of Sutras, Part 1), collected in Gaoseng zhuan (The Biographies of Eminent Monks), Fascicle 132Zhi Mindu (fl. 325-342 CE)THE SAME SUTRA, THREE TRANSLATORS, THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONSFrom "He weimojie jing xu" (Preface to the Composite Edition of [the Translations of] the Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa Sūtra), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 833Dao An (312/314-385? CE)LOSSES SHOULD BE ANNOTATEDFrom "Taoxing jing xu" (Preface to [the Translation of] the Taoxing Version of the Aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā Sūtra [Perfection of Wisdom Sutra in 8,000 Lines], in 10 fascicles), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 734Dao An (312/314-385 CE)THE TWO TRANSLATIONS THREW LIGHT ON EACH OTHER From "He Fangguang Guangzan lüejie xu" (Preface to A Brief Exegesis on the Composite Edition of the Fangguang and Guangzan Versions of [the Translation of] the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā Sūtra [Perfection of Wisdom Sutra in 25,000 Lines]), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 735Dao An (312/314-385 CE)DILUTING WINE WITH WATERFrom "Biqiudajie xu" (Preface to the Abridged [Translation of the] Sarvqsti-vāda-vinaya-bhiksu-pratimoksa), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 1136Dao An (312/314-385 CE)FIVE INSTANCES OF LOSING THE SOURCE; THREE DIFFICULTIESFrom "Mohe boluore boluomi jing chao xu" (Preface to A Collation of [the Translation of] Extracts from the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra [Perfection of Great Wisdom Sutra], 5 fascicles), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 837Dao An (312/314-385 CE)THERE WERE QUITE A LOT OF REPETITIVE INCANTATIONS, SOME DESIRABLE AND NECESSARY AND OTHERS NOT SOFrom "Apitan xu" (Preface to [the Translation of] the Abhidharma Jñānaprasthāna-śāstra), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 1038Dao An (312/314-385 CE)IT IS THE TRANSLATOR'S FAULT IF THE MEANING IS NOT CONVEYED IN FULLFrom "Piposha xu" (Preface to [the Translation of] the Vibhāsā-śāstra), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 1039Anonymous (Attributed to one of Dao An's disciples)SIGNS OF AN UNHEWN STYLEFrom "Sengjialuosha jijing houji" (Postscript to [the Translation of] the Compilation of Saṃgharakṣa), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 1040Hui Yuan (334-416 CE)WORK OUT AN APPROPRIATE METHODFrom "Sanfadu xu" (Preface to [the Translation of] the Tridharmika-śāstra), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 10SECTION TWODISCOURSE ON SUTRA TRANSLATION: MIDDLE STAGEOVERVIEW41Seng Rui (353?-420? CE)SPOILT BY FLOWERY OSTENTATIONFrom "Siyi jing xu" (Preface to [the Translation of] the Viśeṣacintabrahma-pariprcchā Sūtra), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 842Kumārajīva (344-409 CE)IT IS LIKE GIVING SOMEONE RICE THAT YOU HAVE CHEWED; HE WILL FIND IT NOT JUST TASTELESS BUT DOWNRIGHT DISGUSTINGRecorded in "Jiumoluoshi Zhuan" (A Biography of Kumārajīva), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 1443Seng Rui (353?-420? CE)WHERE TERMINOLOGY IS CONCERNED, ITEMS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RENDERED BY THEIR SOUND RATHER THAN THEIR MEANING WERE RENDERED AS TRANSLITERATIONSFrom "Dapin jing xu" (Preface to [the Translation of] the Larger Division of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra [Perfection of Great Wisdom Sutra]), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 844Seng Zhao (384-414 CE)[KUMĀRAJĪVA] DID NOT THINK THAT THE LAST TEN CHAPTERS WERE USEFUL TO THIS LAND, AND SO HE DID NOT TRANSLATE THEMFrom "Bailun xu" (Preface to [the Translation of] the Śata-śāstras), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 1145Seng Zhao (384-414 CE)THE LANGUAGE USED WAS ECONOMICAL YET ACCOMPLISHED, AND THE MESSAGE WAS CONVEYED SUBTLY YET LUCIDLYFrom "Weimojie jing xu" (Preface to [the Translation of] the Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa Sūtra), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 846Kumārajīva (344-409 CE)"THAT'S EXACTLY HOW IT IS!"Recorded in "Shi Seng Rui" (Shi Seng Rui), collected in Gaoseng zhuan (The Biographies of Eminent Monks), Fascicle 647Hui Guan (353-424? CE)KUMĀRAJĪVA WAS ABLE TO USE THE LANGUAGE OF THIS LAND TO CONVEY A MEANING THAT DID NOT DISTORT THE SOURCEFrom "Fahua zongyao xu" (Preface to the Doctrinal Essentials of the Lotus Sutra), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 848Seng Rui (353?-420? CE)JUST FOLLOW THE SOURCEFrom "Xiaopin jing xu" (Preface to [the Translation of] the Smaller Division of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra [Perfection of Great Wisdom Sutra]), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 849Hui Yuan (334-416 CE)AN EASIER PATH WOULD BENEFIT BEGINNERSFrom "Dazhilun chao xu" (Preface to A Collation of Extracts from [the Translation of] the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra [A Treatise on the Perfection of Great Wisdom Sutra]), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 1050Kumārajīva (344-409 CE)IF I HAVE NOT TRANSGRESSED THE TRUTH IN MY TRANSLATIONS, LET MY TONGUE NOT BE DESTROYED IN MY CREMATIONRecorded in "Jiumoluoshi Zhuan"(A Biography of Kumārajīva), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 1451Dao Biao (fl. 394-415 CE)MERE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LANGUAGE WAS NOT DEEMED ADEQUATE FOR CONVEYING THE CENTRAL IDEASFrom "Shelifu apitan xu" (Preface to [the Translation of] the Śāriputrābhidharma-śāstra), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 1052Dao Lang (fl. 412-427 CE)LIKE MILK DILUTED WITH WATERFrom "Daniepan jing xu" (Preface to [the Translation of] the Mahā-parinirvāṇa Sūtra), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 853Shen Yue (441-513 CE)READABILITY SHOULD COME FIRSTRecorded in "Wenzhang pian"b(On Essays), in Yanshi jiaxun (Instructions of the Yan Family), Volume 154Seng You (445-518 CE)HOW CAN WE STUDY THE BUDDHA'S TEACHINGS WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF THOSE WHO TRANSMITTED THE SUTRAS AND NO UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR TIMES?From "Chusanzang jiji xu" (Preface to A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 155Seng You (445-518 CE)DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SANSKRIT AND HAN LANGUAGESFrom "Hu han yijing yinyi tongyi ji" (A Record of the Similarities and Differences in Pronunciation and Meaning Among the Chinese Translations of Sutras from Hu-language), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 156Seng You (445-518 CE)THEY CLING TOO CLOSELY TO THE WORDS AND THE TEXT, WITH THE RESULT THAT THE MEANING IS SELDOM FULLY REVEALEDFrom "Dao Sheng fashi zhuan" (A Biography of Dao Sheng), collected in Chusanzang jiji (A Collection of Records on the Emanation of the Chinese Tripitaka), Fascicle 1557Hui Jiao (497-554 CE)SINCE BUDDHISM CAME TO THE EAST, MANY HAVE PARTICIPATED IN TRANSLATING THE SUTRAS, BUT FEW HAVE TRIED TO PASS ON THE SOUNDS AND MUSIC OF THE RELIGIONFrom "Gaoseng zhuan jingshi pian fulun" (Appendix [to the Section "Sermonists"]), collected in Gaoseng zhuan (The Biographies of Eminent Monks), Fascicle 1358Paramārtha (499-569 CE)I HAVE NO REGRETS IN MY LIFE!Recorded in "Chen Yangdu Jinling shamen Shi Fa Tai zhuan" (A Biography of the Chen Dynasty Monk Fa Tai from Jinling), in "Benzhuan" (Main Biographies), from "Yijing pian chu" (On the Translation of Sutras, Part 1), collected in Xu gaoseng zhuan(A Continuation of the Biographies of Eminent Monks), Fascicle 159Hui Kai (518-568 CE)THE PRESENT TRANSLATION SEEKS TO BE AT ONCE REFINED [WÉN 文] AND UNHEWN [ZHÌ]From "Shedachenglun xu"(Preface to [the Translation of] the Mahāyāna-saṃparigraha-śāstra, in "Shedache1nglun" (The [Translation of the] Mahāyāna-saṃparigraha-śāstra), Fascicle 160Hui Kai (518-568 CE)IN TRANSLATING, PARAMĀRTHA DID NOT REQUIRE THE HELP OF AN INTERPRETERFrom "Apitanmojusheshilun xu" (Preface to [the Translation of] the Abhidharmakośa-śāstra), in "Apitanmojusheshilun" (The [Translation of the] Abhidharmakośa-śāstra), Fascicle 161Dao An (fl. 557-581 CE)LOOK BEYOND THE WORDS AND NAMES TO THE SUBSTANCEFrom "Kong Lao fei fo" [Kongzi is not Buddha, and Neither is Laozi], in Erjiaolun (A Treatise on the Two Religions), collected in Guang hongmingji (A Further Collection of Essays on Buddhism), Fascicle 862Fa Lin (572-640 CE)THE SEVENTH TYPE OF BENIGHTEDNESSRecorded in "Neisanbao wufanzhi" (Why the Three Precious Ones should be Not-translated [transliterated]), from "Jiuzhen pian xia" (Nine Admonitions, Part 2), in Bian zheng lun (Defending the Right), collected in Guang hongmingji (A Further Collection of Essays on Buddhism), Fascicle 1363Yan Cong (557-610 CE)ON THE RIGHT WAYRecorded in "Sui Dongdu Shanglinyuan fanjingguan shamen Shi Yan Cong zhuan" (A Biography of Monk Shi Yan Cong of the Shanglinyuan Translation Assembly at Dongdu [now Xi'an] in the Sui Dynasty), in "Benzhuan" (Main Biographies), from "Yijing pian er" (On the Translation of Sutras, Part 2), collected in Xu gaoseng zhuan (A Continuation of the Biographies of Eminent Monks), Fascicle 2SECTION THREEDISCOURSE ON SUTRA TRANSLATION: LATER STAGEOVERVIEW64Dao Xuan (596-667 CE)THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF TRANSLATION ARE FAR-REACHING AND IMMENSEFrom "Yijing pian si fulun"(Appendix [to the Section "On the Translation of Sutras, Part 4]"), collected in Xu gaoseng zhuan (A Continuation of the Biographies of Eminent Monks), Fascicle 465Bian Ji (619?-649? CE)IN SUTRA TRANSLATION, THE PROFOUND MESSAGE SHOULD BE MADE EASILY UNDERSTANDABLE; AND AS LONG AS THE TRANSLATION DOES NOT VIOLATE THE SOURCE, IT IS A GOOD TRANSLATIONFrom "Jizan"(Eulogy), collected in Datang xiyuji (The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions), Volume 1266Zhangsun Wuji (d. 659 CE) et alPUNISHMENTS FOR WILFUL OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE BY GOVERNMENT INTERPRETERSFrom "Zheng bu yan qing" (Giving False Evidence), from "Zhawei" (Deception), collected in Tang lü shu yi (The Code of the Tang, with Notes and Commentaries), Volume 2567Xuan Zang (600 - 664 CE)FIVE GUIDELINES FOR NOT-TRANSLATING A TERMRecorded in "Fanyi mingyi ji xu" (Preface to A Collection of Names and Their Explanations in Buddhist Translations), collected in Fanyi mingyi ji (A Collection of Names and Their Explanations in Buddhist Translations)68Xuan Zang (600 - 664 CE)WHY SHOULD BUDDHIST TERMS BE LINKED UP WITH TAOIST MEANINGS?Recorded in "Jing Daci'ensi Shi Xuan Zang zhuan" (A Biography of Xuan Zang of the Great Ci'en Monastery), in Benzhuan (Main Biographies), from "Yijing pian si" (On the Translation of Sutras, Part 4), collected in Xu gaoseng zhuan (A Continuation of the Biographies of Eminent Monks), Fascicle 469Hui Li (b. 615 CE)ONLY WITH THE GOOD FORTUNE OF PATRONAGE CAN THE RELIGION SPREAD AND BENEFIT THE MANYRecorded in Datang Daci'ensi Sanzang Fashi zhuan (A Biography of the Tripitaka-master of the Great Ci'en Monastery of the Great Tang Dynasty), Volume 870Hui Li (b. 615 CE)TRANSLATE EVERYTHING AND OMIT NOTHINGFrom Datang Daci'ensi Sanzang Fashi zhuan (A Biography of the Tripitaka-master of the Great Ci'en Monastery of the Great Tang Dynasty), Volume 1071Yi Jing (635 - 713 CE)XUAN ZANG TOOK ON THE TASKS OF INTERPRETING THE MEANING OF THE TEXT AND RENDERING THE TEXT INTO CHINESE, SEEKING NO OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE EITHER IN THE SELECTION OF WORDS OR IN DECIDING ON THE MAIN DOCTRINAL PRECEPTSFrom "Sanzang shengjiao xu" (Preface to the Tripitaka (by Emperor Zhongzong)), in Quan Tang wen (Complete Prose of the Tang), Volume 1772Wu Zetian (624-705 CE)IT IS PROPER THAT TAOISM AND BUDDHISM BE TREATED WITH EQUAL RESPECTFrom "Seng Tao bingzhong chi" (Edict that Saṅgha (Buddhism) and Taoists (Taoism) be Given Equal Status), in Quan Tang wen (Complete Prose of the Tang), Volume 9673Gautama Siddhārtha (fl. late seventh to early eighth centuries CE)WE HAVE TRIMMED WHAT WAS REDUNDANT AND OMITTED THE ELABORATE PARTSFrom "Qutan Xida" (Gautama Siddhārtha), in Chouren zhuan (The Biographies of Astronomers and Mathematicians), Volume 1374Zhao Ying (fl. 936-942 CE) and Liu Xu (887-946 CE)THE FABRICATED DAYUN SUTRA WAS MADE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE REALMFrom "Xue Huaiyi" (Xue Huaiyi), in "Waiqi" (Relatives of the Imperial Consort), from "Liezhuan" (Biographies), in Jiu Tang shu (Old Tang Records), Volume 18375Zan Ning (919-1001 CE)TO TRANSLATE MEANS TO EXCHANGEFrom "Tang Jingxiu Dajianfusi Yi Jing zhuan" (The Biography of Yi Jing from Great Jianfu Temple in the Central Administrative Region in the Tang Dynasty), collected in Song gaoseng zhuan (The Song Version of the Biographies of Eminent Monks), Fascicle 176Zan Ning (919-1001 CE)NOTES ON TRANSLATINGFrom "Tang jingshi Man Yue zhuan" ["A Biography of Man Yue of the Capital of the Tang Dynasty"], in "Yijing pian yi zhi san" (On the Translation of Sutras, Part 3), collected in Song gaoseng zhuan (The Song Version of the Biographies of Eminent Monks), Fascicle 377Zan Ning (919-1001 CE)THE DIFFERENT POSTS ESTABLISHED IN TRANSLATION ASSEMBLIES AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE OFFICIALS IN EACH POSTFrom "Tang jingshi Man Yue zhuan" ["A Biography of Man Yue of the Capital of the Tang Dynasty"], in "Yijing pian yi zhi san" (On the Translation of Sutras, Part 3), collected in Song gaoseng zhuan (The Song Version of the Biographies of Eminent Monks), Fascicle 378Zan Ning (919-1001 CE)RENOWNED MONKS GATHERED IN THE PALACE HALL TO HOLD FORTH AGAINST TAOIST PRIESTSFrom "Tang Jianglingfu Fa Ming zhuan" (A Biography of Fa Ming of the Administrative Region of Jiangling in the Tang Dynasty), in "Hufa pian" (On Protecting the Dharma), collected in Song gaoseng zhuan (The Song Version of the Biographies of Eminent Monks), Fascicle 1779Zan Ning (919-1001 CE)THE REMARK THAT THE DAYUN SUTRA IS A FABRICATION IS NOT TRUEFrom "Ci seng ziyi" (Purple Ceremonial Robes Bestowed Upon Buddhist Monks as Gifts), Dasong seng shilüe (The Song Dynasty Compendium of Monastic History), Volume 280Hong Hao (1088 - 1155)THE TŌNGSHÌ [INTERPRETING-CLERKS] HAD GREAT INFLUENCERecorded in Songmo jiwen (Travel Records of the Pine and Desert Lands)81Fa Yun (1088-1158)WE USE THE TRANSLATED SUTRAS IN THIS LAND TO MANIFEST THE TRUTH THAT COMES FROM ANOTHER LANDFrom Fanyi mingyi ji (A Collection of Names and Their Explanations in Buddhist Translations), Fascicle 182Fa Yun (1088 - 1158)A BRIEF STUDY OF SOME OF THE TERMS AND NAMES USED IN THE TRANSLATED SUTRASFrom "Tang Fan ziti pian" (On the Chinese Script and the Fàn [Sanskrit] Script), collected in Fanyi mingyi ji (A Collection of Names and Their Explanations in Buddhist Translations), Fascicle 15Biographical Notes on People Mentioned in the TextWorks CitedReferencesIndex

This anthology demonstrates more effectively than any history or theoretical treatise the utter falseness of the view that medieval China was a closed cultural universe. Here we find proof after scintillating proof of the creative ferment and wit that went into the huge endeavour of translating the Buddhist sutras into Chinese, over a period of almost a thousand years. Here, through the prism of the activity of translation, in these chiselled texts, so carefully chosen and meticulously presented and translated into English, we witness the intense empathy and imaginative energy that lay at the heart of the Chinese transmission of truth and enlightenment. We are left awaiting the second part of this superb anthology with impatience. (John Minford) A(c)2004-2009 St Jerome Publishing Ltd