Spatial Reconstruction and the Evolution of the Scholar-Official Image in the English Translation of the Grand Canal Section of Rushu Ji: A Sociology of Translation Study Based on Grand Canal, Great River

Abstract

This study examines the English translation of Lu You’s Southern Song travel diary Rushu Ji (A Journey to Shu) in Philip Watson's Grand Canal, Great River: The Travel Diary of a 12th-century Chinese Poet, focusing specifically on its de-piction of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and Zhejiang Eastern Canal sec-tions. The research aims to reveal how Watson’s translation strategies and par-atextual manipulation systematically reconstruct the original text’s narrative, spatial, and cultural significances. Through detailed textual comparison and discourse analysis informed by André Lefevere’s rewriting theory (1992), Gér-ard Genette’s paratext theory (1997), and cultural geography’s production of space theory, this paper demonstrates how the translation enacts a profound act of cross-cultural domestication. The analysis reveals three key dimensions of reconstruction: narratively, through systematic omission of official records and scholarly verifications, Lu You transforms from a scholar-official fulfilling imperial duties to a po-et-explorer; spatially, by filtering hydraulic engineering terminology while en-hancing scenic descriptions, the functional canal, an imperial lifeline, becomes a scenic waterway conforming to western picturesque ideals; paratextually, through title, maps and preface, readers are guided toward expecting a romantic journey through an exotic land. While this creative treason successfully intro-duced Rushu Ji to English readers, the reconstruction inevitably simplified and obscured the text's rich historical information concerning Southern Song gov-ernance, scholar-official ethos, and infrastructure complexity. The study con-cludes that the translation, despite its dissemination merits, represents a signif-icant case of cultural filtration, offering critical insights for reflecting on image construction and cultural representation in translating Chinese classics for global audiences.