An Analysis of the Poetic Conveyance and Formal Reconstruction in the English Translations of <i>The Inlaid Zither</i> from the Perspective of the “Three-Beauty” Theory

在全球化背景下，中国古典诗词英译对文化交流意义重大。李商隐的《锦瑟》作为唐诗经典，蕴含复杂的情感与独特的美学价值。本文借助许渊冲的“三美”理论，即音美、形美、意美，对比分析许渊冲与刘若愚的《锦瑟》英译本。首先介绍了两位译者的学术背景和翻译贡献，深入剖析了《锦瑟》的文化背景、内容及美学特征。进而从“三美”理论出发，逐联探讨两个译本。研究发现，许渊冲译本在音美和形美方面表现突出，通过押韵、相近句式结构增强译文的音乐性与形式美感，同时精准传达诗意；刘若愚译本更侧重于意美的细腻呈现，保留了中国文化特色意象，虽韵律和形式稍异于许译本，但凭借独特的节奏和丰富的表达，深刻展现了原诗的情感内涵。两个译本从不同的角度展现了《锦瑟》的魅力，为中国古典诗词英译提供了多元思路和借鉴。In the context of globalization, the English translation of Chinese classical poetry is of great significance for cultural exchange. The Inlaid Zither by Shangyin Li, a classic of Tang poetry, contains complex emotions and unique aesthetic values. This paper, from the perspective of Yuanchong Xu’s “Three-Beauty” theory, namely, beauty in sound, beauty in form, and beauty in sense, conducts a comparative analysis of the English translations of The Inlaid Zither by Yuanchong Xu and Ruoyu Liu. Firstly, the academic backgrounds and translation contributions of the two translators are introduced, and the cultural background, content, and aesthetic characteristics of The Inlaid Zither are deeply analyzed. Then, starting from the “Three-Beauty” theory, the two translations are explored line by line. The study shows that Yuanchong Xu’s translation stands out in terms of beauty in sound and beauty in form, enhancing the musicality and formal beauty of the translation by using rhymes and similar sentence structures while accurately conveying the poetic meaning. Ruoyu Liu’s translation focuses more on the delicate presentation of beauty in sense, retaining Chinese cultural imagery. Although its rhythm and form are slightly different from Xu’s translation, it deeply reveals the emotional connotation of the original poem through its unique rhythm and rich expressions. The two translations showcase the charm of The Inlaid Zither from different perspectives and provide diverse ideas and references for the English translation of Chinese classical poetry.