A study of the historical flow and methodologies in the translation of Chinese poetry.

This study investigates the historical evolution and contemporary issues surrounding the translation of classical Chinese poetry, known as 'hansi.' Given the long history of Chinese character use in Korea, 'hansi' encompasses poetry written in Chinese characters, regardless of whether it was written in Korea or China. However, this analysis specifically restricts its scope to classical Chinese poetry that originates from China. Since the invention of Hangeul in 1443, hansi has been continuously translated into Korean over the past 500 years. Despite this long history, hansi translation remains steadfast, often adhering to established methods from centuries past. Contrary to translations of Western poetry, hansi translations exhibit unique characteristics. Firstly, an issue arises with the utilization of narrative endings predominantly employed 500 years ago, leading to a somewhat archaic tone in sijo (Korean classical poetry). Secondly, there is an overflow of supplementary information, including the original text, pronunciation of Chinese characters, annotations, interpretations, background information, and more. This abundance prompts inquiries regarding the necessity of such extensive information to appreciate a single poem. Hence, this study suggests that the translation of classical Chinese poetry ought to be classified into academic and popular categories, with a stronger focus on translations tailored for the general audience.