专业理解上的疏通——第三届世界中医翻译大赛点评
文/林巍
在前两届世界中医翻译大赛的基础上，本届收到有效参赛译文430份，为历史最多，其质量和水平也有相应提高。对此，值得分析、总结，以利今后借鉴。
1. 专业术语的确切性
对于中医的翻译，遇到最多的是其专业术语的障碍。众所周知，中医是一种极具特色的中国传统文化，其发源不是西方意义上的“科学”，而是东方广义的哲学，其语言多带文学色彩。但是，由于一百五十余年来的“西医东渐”及其翻译的实践，中医术语又和西医概念混杂在一起，形成了非常复杂的局面。
众所周知，中医里的“心”“肝”“脾”“胃”“肾”，并不完全等同于西医的heart、liver、spleen、stomach、kidney，但是二者又有着千丝万缕的联系，不能彼此割裂；对其间所体现的内涵、程度、变通的理解和处理，便是对中医译者的挑战。
对于题目中的“经络”，参赛译文可谓多姿多彩，如Jingluo、Meridian and Collateral、Channels and Collaterals、Jingluo (Meridian and Collateral) 等。 对此，World Health Organization Western Pacific Region 有所论述：Jingluo (also named as “meridian and collateral”) refers to a system of conduits through which qi and blood circulate, connecting the bowels, viscera, extremities, superficial organs and tissues, making the body an organic whole, the same as channels and networks. Jingluo includes jingmai and luomai.看来音译和意译都是可接受的，但相对而言，meridians更易被普遍认同，因其英文释为“in acupuncture, one of the pathways in the body along which the body’s energy is believed to flow and along which acupuncture points are located”，特别是对该题目而言，若译成Magical Effects of Jingluo (Meridian and Collateral)，不免显得冗长（有的在题目上还加了注释），不如用The Amazing Functions of the Meridians等来得简单明了。
对于“中医”（[1]），大部分用了traditional Chinese medicine，但仍有不同的，如Chinese medicine、Chinese medical science 等，应参照《中医基本名词术语中英对照国际标准》（李振吉）、《中医名词术语国际标准化研究——理论研究、实践总结、方法探索》（李照国）、《英汉汉英中医词典》（魏乃杰）等著作将其统一为通用的traditional Chinese medicine，同时为下文表述方便，还应将其缩写为TCM，附在括号里（但不是方括号［］），亦不应首次出现“中医”即用TCM，而与此对应的是西医Western medicine（WM）。
在[2]中，对于“黄帝内经”，似乎有比较定型的译文，但此次仍是多种多样，如Huangdi Neijing、Huangdi’s Classic on Medicine、the Inner Canon of Huangdi、Esoteric Scripture of the Yellow Emperor、the Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic、Huangdi’s Cannon of Medicine、Huangdi’s Canon of Internal Medicine等，这里触及保留中医本色与译文可读性的问题。Huangdi Neijing纯属音译，给英文读者很少文本信息，the Inner Canon of Huangdi 要好些，但仍不知Huangdi 为何物，而Esoteric Scripture又过于神秘，相对而言，比较平衡的中和为The Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Medicine。
对于（经络者决死生，处百病，调虚实）“不可不通”，许多参赛者译成“Hence it must be dredged”“It therefore has to be opened”“Hence it must be kept in a regular condition”“the meridians and collaterals can’t be unstopped”“must be well-attended for free circulation”等，显然是对原文的理解有问题。此处的“通”，《说文解字》释为“達也。从辵甬聲。”，即通晓、通彻之意，如通今博古，通情达理。因而，可译为“it has to be understood/comprehended”或“one must therefore not be ignorant of them”。
关于该段里的“调虚实”，许多参赛者竟然漏掉未译，实属遗憾；而译出的大都为regulate the deficiency and excess，固然不错，但还可再保留些中医特色，如adjust xu（deficiency) and shi（excess), 类似的还有对于“风虐”“风泻”“风沥”的处理：fengnüe（anemogenous malaria)、fengxie（anemogenousdiarrhea)、fengli（anemogenous scrofula) 等。
同时，对于“中华民族”，许多人译成了Chinese nation；其实，此处含义不在政治意义上的“nation (a politically organized body of people under a single government)”，而是指人，即the Chinese people。
在[3]中，“《灵枢·脉度》说” 一般译成“ Spiritual pivot and pulse says”“The Miraculous Pivot states that”“According to Linshu-Maidu (a text about meridian system from Huangdi Neijing)”“Lingshu Pulse says…”“Ling Shu Mai Du said that”，但根据《简明汉英〈黄帝内经〉词典》（李照国），“灵枢”应为The Spiritual Pivot，“脉度”为Measurement of Meridians，而且是该书的第十七章，亦应标注。故该句不妨译为：According to the “Measurement of Meridians” (Chapter 17) in The Spiritual Pivot…
[7]中的“得气”是中医里一个很有特色的概念，因为“气”的含义实在丰富；它其实远不是西方人一般理解的energy、vital energy、circulation等，况且其本身又分有多种类型。此处的气指的更多的不是物质，而是一种感觉，故可译为qi sensation等。
对于[5]中的“头痛医头，脚痛医脚”，参赛译文大致有三种译法：直译，如treat the head when the head aches、treat the foot when the foot hurts；意译，如no overall plan for a fundamental transformation；综合二者的，如medical stopgap measures 等。鉴于此处指的是一种医疗理念和方法，故第一种和第三种是可取的。
同段中的“利尿”，有的译成promote diuresis，其实diuresis 本义是“increased secretion of urine; if not due to increased liquid intake or to the action of a diuretic drug it can be a symptom of diabetes mellitus”，即该词本身就是“利尿”，若加上promote, 便成了“促利尿”，成为赘语。
此外，还有对于“循经刺络”“砭石按摩”“麻黄”等表述与术语的翻译，亦不可掉以轻心。著名翻译家理论家奈达（Nida）在其名著《翻译理论与实践》（The Theory and Practice of Translation）中提出一种观点，即“古文当用古言译”（the ancient language form and style must remain so as to be faithful to the original piece）。然而，对于中医翻译却不尽然。实践证明，高质量的中医英译，应以中医知识为基础，以中西医对比为借鉴，从而译出让现代读者可以容易而准确理解的词语。
2. 不可或缺的增补
如前所述，由于中医起源于中国古代哲学（特别是《易经》），其语言富有文学性和哲理性，因而对其翻译需要特殊的语言处理。
鉴于中医表述大都格外言简意赅，许多情况下要做些“展开”处理，如“膜原”，若只译成membrane source显然不够，还需加入pleurodiaphragmatic interspace, interior-exterior interspace where the pathogens of epidemic febrile disease trends to settle。需对“丹田”（Cinnabar field）加以解释：in TCM it refers to three regions of the body to which one’s mind is focused while practicing qigong, namely the lower cinnabar field, the regions located in the upper 2/3 of the line joining the umbilicus and symphysis pubis; the middle cinnabar field, the xiphoid area; and the upper cinnabar field, the region between the eyebrows. 如此，方可谓较为完整的译文。
同样，在该篇[4]中，对于“循经刺络”的翻译，若只译成following meridians and collaterals、along the meridians、follow the meridian、Xunjing Ciluo、have known that collaterals pricking is based on meridian等，显然不够；同时，也有不少参赛译文对此做了多种方式的补充，如“to follow the meridians (a little bloodletting to cool the body down)”“along the meridians (let a small amount of blood to cool down)”“to stimulate the collaterals along the meridians, which means releasing a little blood to cool the body”“pricking collaterals along meridians, namely to put a small amount of blood to cool down”等，都在不同程度上弥补了原义，但还不够完整，如to cool down什么？应为to cool down the body temperature；同时，还应顾及上下文的衔接。故此，不妨译为：a practice of “pricking meridians and collaterals” (to cool down the body temperature by releasing a bit of blood following meridians and collaterals), from which…其中下画线部分为必要的增补。
[6]中关于“气血”的翻译，典型的参赛译文，如“but channels for carrying qi and blood which are the material basis of human life activities. Qi and blood must pass the channels and collaterals in order to warm and nourish the viscera, tissues and organs and maintain the normal physiological functions of the body.”“it is the channel to deliver Qi and blood, which is the basis of human’s life activities. It’s through meridians that Qi and blood can be delivered over the body to warm and nourish the viscera, tissues and organs so that it can maintain normal physiological functions of the body.”“they are meridians that transport ‘blood and qi’ (the material basis of human life)”“Only by passing meridians and collaterals, can blood and qi spread over the whole body to supply all the Zangfu, tissues and organs, maintaining the normal physiological function of the body”等，看得出来，一般都多少具有对“气血”作出解释的意识，但还可更加到位。具体而言，该词此处需与“输布周身”“温养濡润”“维持机体的正常生理功能”相联系，综合理解和表述。中医里的气血，尽管有时也会译作qi and blood、bleeding等，但实际内涵并不完全相对，往往需要某种补充说明，如“气随血脱”译为“qi collapse following bleeding – a pathological change in which massive loss of blood leads to collapse of qi”；“血不归经”译为“blood failing to stay in the meridians – a pathological change that causes extravasation of blood”；“血热妄行”译为“frenetic movement of blood due to heat – a pathological change extravasation of blood in which heat forces；“气血两虚”译为“dual deficiency of qi and blood – simultaneous presence of qi deficiency and blood deficiency”；“津枯血燥”译为“fluid consumption and blood dryness – a pathological change in which insufficiency of fluid gives rise to blood dryness with endogenous heat”；“气随液脱”译为“qi collapse due to humor depletion – a pathological change in which qi collapse occurs following massive loss of fluid”；“气不化津”译为“qi failing to form fluid – insufficient yang qi with reduced vaporizing actin failing to induce the formation of body fluid”。当然，有时又未必要用qi and blood，如“这些锻炼通常包含了冥想，强调气血循环以及身体协调，而不强调肌肉锻炼。”可译为：They typically involve meditation, emphasizing cardiovascular circulation and alignment of the body instead of muscular development. 然而，就此处的“运送‘气血’的通道”而言，更多的是指中医基础理论中其作为“脏腑经络生理活动的物质基础”（the material basis for the physiological activities of the zang-fu and meridians），故该句不妨译为channels for transporting qi and blood（the material foundation for human physical activities），而“气血必须通过经络才能输布周身，以温养濡润各脏腑、组织和器官，维持机体的正常生理功能”中的“温……”“濡……”“维持……”则可用动名词处理：Through the meridians and collaterals, qi and blood are spread over the entire body, warming and moisturizing the viscera, tissues and organs, and maintaining the normal physiological functions of the body.
[3]中，“其中属于经脉方面的，以十二经脉为主，属于络脉方面的，以十五络脉为主”，其实在中医里，除此之外，还有大量随病而定的“阿是穴”，该词一般译成Ashi point、Ashi acupuncture point、touch point等，但就其规律而言，应为irregular ones，并补充在括弧之中。
[10]的内容，看似简单，参赛译文大都能较为通顺地转述出来，如“The magical ancient jingluo system, combined with today’s modern medical technology, will inevitably bring forth more miraculous therapeutic effects in the future.”“The discovery of ancient meridian and collateral system and the combination of modern medical technology will inevitably produce more remarkable curative effects.”等，似乎意思不错，但略感不足，究其原因，是可进一步挖掘出“更为神奇的治疗效果”背后的含义，即前面的状语为“比单独利用某种医疗体系……”, 故可用… either… alone，如“When combined with modern medical technologies, the meridian-based treatments discovered in ancient China will surely produce even more miraculous therapeutic effects than either treatment system used alone.”。如此，将其内涵更加充分地表达出来。
总之，这些翻译中的增补，无论段落、句子或词语，看似无足轻重，但对于完整意义上的翻译而言，却不可或缺。
3. 译语意识的考量
中医的语言，如上所述，植根于中国传统文化，“意合”特点突出，因而在译成英文时，应时时具有“形合”意识，如使用在原文中没有、但译文中必要的具有语法功能的介词、代词、连词等，把孤立的句子串联起来，以求词意和语势的贯通。
对于[1]，“如果说，西医治病是以解剖系统为基础，那么中医治病，则以经络系统为其基础之一。对此，西方人感到惊奇”，较为典型的参赛译文： ①Western Medicine treatment regards anatomy as the basic principle, and Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment is based on meridian and collateral study. It surprises westerners. ②Relying on the anatomy of body systems to treat diseases like western medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors cure diseases partly based on meridian system (Jing and luo system). It amazes Westerners. ③If we say that Western medicine treats diseases based on anatomy system, then Chinese medicine treats diseases based on meridian system is one of its bases. Westerners are amazed at this.分析起来，①中的Western Medicine treatment与Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment以及“It surprises…”之间似乎彼此分开，若在句首（或句尾）加上介词while，将it换为which引导后面从句，就会在彼此之间建立联系，使整段融为一体。②有着类似的问题，若在句首加上Rather than 便会使其与后面的分句产生呼应；同样应以which 替换it。③似乎以“If we say that…then…”体现了“如果说…… 那么……”，但不免有些过于直译、死板，同时对于两个“基础”也应有所变化，避免重复，如用based、founded 等：While the treatment of disease in Western medicine (WM) is believed to have been based on an anatomical system, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was founded on the meridian system, one of its fundamental theories, which seems quite amazing to Westerners.
[2]中的“在两千多年的医学长河中，为中华民族的治病、防病、康复发挥了重要的作用”，有的译成“it has made great contributions to the treatment, preventing disease and rehabilitation of Chinese nation during 2000-year-long history.”“it played a significant role for the Chinese nation in disease preventing, curing and health recovering in the medical history of over 2000 years, originating in ancient times and serving today.”其中下画线部分是对动宾结构“治病、防病”和动词“康复”的翻译，但未能将词性统一（如统一为名词或动名词）；同时，时间状语的表述“during 2000-year-long history”“in the medical history of over 2000 years, originating in ancient times and serving today”也有些问题。就具体语境而言，不妨将其梳理为：Over the past two thousand years, it has played a very significant role in treating and preventing diseases, and guiding rehabilitation, for the Chinese people. 或者，将状语部分适当调整。
对于复杂句子的翻译，则既要讲求专业、准确，又不宜过于陷入细微末节之中，以致失去整体意义。如[3]中的一段，“它们纵横交贯，遍布全身，将人体内外、脏腑、肢节、器官联成为一个有机的整体，运行全身气血，感应传导信息”，很容易译成“All channels (mainly the twelve channels) and collaterals (mainly the fifteen collateral vessels), are crisscrossing and spreading all over the body, linking the internal and external, viscera and bowels, limbs and organs into an organic whole, transporting qi and blood, receiving and conducting information.”或“They are crisscrossed and cluster throughout the body so that they can associate both inside and outside of the body, viscera, podites, organs entirely, running qi and blood all over the body, sensing and transmitting information.”应当说，这些参赛译文大体是可以接受的，但分析起来，又过于追求字面对等了。其实不妨采用“简略译法”，如“酸甜苦辣”许多时候不必译成sour、sweet、bitter、hot，可为all kinds of tastes 或the sweets and bitters (of life)、(human) joys and sorrows、ups and downs (in life)、everything under the sun 等。对此，参考译文为：Spreading all over the body, these meridians and collaterals pertain to the “interior” viscera and bowels and extend to the “exterior” extremities, joints and organs, integrating them into an organic whole. Through this network qi and blood are transported and biological information transmitted. 其中，将“纵横交贯”译为状语Spreading all over the body，从而简化了句式；同时，未将“人体内外”一一对应，而是归类为interior和exterior两部分，从而达到整体等值的效果。
[5]中，对于“ 与西医的…… 不同”， 参赛译文也有着多种表述，如“Different from the western medicine…”“Varied from western medical measures of…”“As a contrast to Western medicine doctors, who typically…”等，这里难点在于用准确的词语兼顾“不同”与“医疗方法”，如“Unlike the approach of Western medicine, which is basically…”。
[8]中的“气为血之帅”是一种典型的中医用语，应用引号标出，即所谓的qi is the commander of blood，而后面的“故气为血之帅”又不必重复，而可将其融汇到整句“推动血液循环，掌握着血流的节奏，故气为血之帅；而这些都要在经络中进行”的表述中，如“…promotes blood circulation and controls the rhythm of the blood flow within the meridians and collaterals”，以求通顺、自然、地道。
此外，还应力戒一些可以避免的“低级错误”，如单复数不分（foot/feet）、错用（So what exactly is “Channels and Collaterals”?）、元音前的an (a anatomical)、将中文的书名标志运用到英文里（如《The Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Medicine》《Lingshu Maidu》），以及漏译题目等。鲁迅说，写、译完之后，至少看两遍；一经检查，许多这类问题便很容易纠正。
综上所述，中医英译是一种专业性翻译，在术语、句式、篇章等方面有着某些特殊规律，需在深刻理解中医、借鉴西医语言、提升英语表达能力的基础上，不断求得更加准确、完善、高质量的专业化的疏通与转述。
参考文献
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