Beijing, March 3 (Zhongxin Net) -- Sherlock Holmes is a familiar name for many lovers of detective novels. With a pipe in his mouth and a cloak, he can always solve mysteries large and small with careful reasoning.
Recently, the topic of "the first Chinese edition of Sherlock Holmes' novels" has attracted attention. Are Sherlock Holmes and Watson the "best partners"? In addition to the moving story, what other literary value does the novel have?
In this regard, Li Jiazhen, translator of "Sherlock Holmes Complete Collection (Illustrated Collector's Edition)" of China Book Company, said in an interview with China News Network that the work "Sherlock Holmes Detective Collection" hides various historical and humanistic details, which is not only a detective novel, but also contains rich cultural charm and literary value.
Not just detective fiction
According to reports, in 1916, the Chung Hwa Book Company launched the first Chinese edition of "The Complete Sherlock Holmes Detective Collection".
Lee Jiazhen. Image source: Courtesy of Chung Hwa Book Company
Li Jiazhen believes that "Sherlock Holmes" is not only a detective novel, but also contains rich cultural charm and literary value. The novel does reflect Conan Doyle's remarkable imagination and relatively rigorous creative attitude.
"In terms of style, the novel has the characteristics of a Victorian work and embodies the unique robustness of Conan Doyle." Lee Ka-jin believes that "the fictional plot in the novel intersects with historical reality, presenting a wonderful world that is both real and fantastic. ”
In addition, the novel hides various historical and humanistic details, like a mountain, a stone, a grass and a tree, and finally puts together a flowing picture. For readers who love history and culture, these details are a natural representation of the changing times, which is very interesting.
For example, in "Dark Red Study", Sherlock Holmes said that you must not fight the grass and startle the snake, otherwise the criminal will "immediately disappear among the four million inhabitants of this great city (London)"; In "The Carton", Watson says that Sherlock Holmes "likes to be in the middle of a population of five million", and the growth of London's population is truly reflected in the author's writing.
In addition, the descriptions of telegraphs, bicycles, typewriters, electric bells, telephones, submarines, automobiles, postal services, etc. in the sixty novels can give readers a glimpse of the changes of the times and the transitional era in which old and new things coexist.
Over the years, this collection of novels has become popular to this day. Lee believes that after the literary value of the original book was more fully reflected through the new translation, this collection was loved by more readers.
Sherlock Holmes' friendship with Watson
The friendship between Sherlock Holmes and Watson has always been talked about by readers, and they are also the "best partners" in this novel.
In Li Jiazhen's view, Watson is a rare friend, who can not only appreciate the advantages that Sherlock Holmes cannot reach ordinary people, but also understand some small shortcomings in his character.
Based on other detective novels he has read, Li Jiazhen said that according to the setting of the book, Sherlock Holmes lived in an era of relatively backward technical means. Therefore, the wisdom of people at that time had a particularly outstanding value.
From the perspective of the way of thinking, the method of observation and deduction that Sherlock Holmes is good at can still be helpful to people today. As a classic literary image, Sherlock Holmes is not only intellectually excellent, but also upright, a bright light shining into reality.
The Complete Sherlock Holmes (Illustrated Collector's Edition). Published by Chung Hwa Book Company
"However, in terms of making friends, having a friend like Watson is a blessing in life, he represents understanding and tolerance, and is a treasure that is difficult to find in the world, so it has also become another classic literary image in the book." He said.
What are the principles of translation?
When he was in junior high school, Li Jiazhen read the Sherlock Holmes detective novel for the first time and was deeply impressed by the two protagonists in the book. After that, he read the original English version of the novel, and after examining the different Chinese translations, finally decided to re-translate the work.
The Sherlock Holmes novel spanned forty years and reflected forty years of changes in British society. In terms of the style of translation, Li Jiazhen used shallow literary language in the translation of newspapers, periodicals and letters, and was as faithful to the original text as possible.
On the basis of the 2012 edition of Sherlock Holmes, Lee added more than 300 annotations, hoping to show as comprehensively as possible the novel's description of the environment and scenery and many touching details.
"It took me more than a year to translate this complete work, working ten hours a day from morning to night." He said that subsequent revisions also took more than a year to complete The Complete Sherlock Holmes (Illustrated Collector's Edition).
When it comes to the principle of translation, Li Jiazhen said that first of all, it is necessary to be worthy of the author and present all the benefits contained in the original work as much as possible. Scientific and technological progress has facilitated the study of various subtle and hidden works, and also provided translators with conditions for accurately restoring the original writing and cultural connotation.
"In my opinion, those excellent foreign literary works, if the translator can accurately reproduce its spiritual outlook, will naturally provide readers with a rich feast of ideas and knowledge. To be worthy of the author is to be worthy of the reader. He said. (End)