Jāmī’s Baheristan By
 Shen Yiming
Publisher Shangwu yinshu guan Pub Date 2019 Pub Location CN Isbn 0 Course(s)
   29

Description

The book is the Chinese translation of the Persian Sufi Jāmī’s Baharistan, the first full Chinese translation. Although several of Jami’s works have been translated into Chinese as early as the 17th-18th centuries, their content are Sufi philosophical works and grammar. Therefore, the translation of Baharistan is also the first time to introduce Jami’s literary works to Chinese readers. The translator, Dr. Shen Yiming, is a research expert on Jami and an experienced translator. In recent years, she has published a number of English and Chinese academic articles on Jami, giving a new understanding of the spread and importance of Jami’s works in China. Dr. Shen’s translation is not only beautiful and reasonable in words, but also adds a preface, a postscript and a large number of annotations to introduce the writing background, circulation, characteristics and importance of the Baharistan to Chinese readers. For example, Dr. Shen has translated all the original poems in the form of ancient Chinese poetry, while taking into account the consistency of rhythm and images. In the translation of chapter seven which discussed the Persian poetry, Shen Yiming made a number of annotations on the poets and poems, which enriched and developed the research on Persian poetics and Persian literature history. Therefore, this translation is also an academic translation. The publication of this work has been welcomed by Chinese readers. Both Persian literature lovers and world literature researchers have benefited from it. Interestingly, through this translation, Dr. Shen Yiming transformed herself from a researcher to a member of the world dissemination of Jami’s works, and completed the transition from “the other” to “the self”, thus continuing the historical process of text and knowledge dissemination along the Silk Road.