A Comparative Study of Six Chinese Translations of The Old Man and the Sea: From the Perspective of Literary Retranslation

Abstract

In recent years, the retranslation of literary classics has become increasingly prevalent, and The Old Man and the Sea serves as a notable example. Among nearly three hundred Chinese translations of Hemingway’s novella, Sun Zhili — a distinguished scholar and practitioner of translation — contributed a new version that invites serious reflection. This paper conducts a comparative analysis of Sun’s translation and five representative earlier versions, focusing on three dimensions: linguistic comprehension, stylistic recreation, and cultural transmission. The study aims to identify both the similarities and differences among the six versions, with particular attention to how Sun’s translation surpasses its predecessors. The findings suggest that Sun’s retranslation embodies his pursuit of perfection, illustrating both the essential characteristics and intrinsic demands of retranslation in literary classics.