Year: 2026
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: This chapter investigates how textual iconicity is rendered in translation. The term Yimai (意脉) is analogous to Xuemai (血脉), a concept from Traditional Chinese Medicine referring to the flow of blood within the human body. In classical Chinese poetry, Yimai denotes the linguistic embodiment of Yijing (意境), or the poetic realm. Because Yijing encapsulates the artistic imagination evoked by images or objects in the real world—and is therefore characterized by a sense of fluidity and drift— Yimai similarly signifies a continuous, dynamic movement. Translating this continuous flow requires the translator to re-enact or internalize the movement of Yimai through imaginative engagement. Using the long poem “Spring, River, Flowers, the Moon, and Night” as a case study, this chapter explores the translation strategies employed to convey textual iconicity in classical Chinese poetry.
Author: Guangxu Zhao
Institution: Nanning Normal University
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7150847895