A Book of Wisdom or a Manual of Divination? Examining the Paratexts in Three Spanish Translations of the I Ching
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Abstract
Previous studies have indicated that different translations of the I Ching present varying value judgments regarding this influential classical Chinese text. However, little attention has been paid to how this book is recognized and interpreted in the Spanish-speaking world through translation. This article focuses on the paratextual elements of three direct Chinese‑Spanish translations of the I Ching published in Spain, aiming to explore the value orientations conveyed by these translations regarding the book and their potential impacts. The findings reveal their differing positions on the essence and practical significance of the I Ching: (1) emphasising its cosmic consciousness as a repository of wisdom, respecting annotations from historical authority, Confucius, while deliberately distancing it from divinatory practices; (2) simultaneously valuing philosophical and moral implications of the I Ching and its divinatory applications, but considering the former as a prerequisite for the latter; (3) highlighting the practical utility of divination in the I Ching, while viewing its accumulating commentaries during its historical evolution as distortions of the original core text. The diverse perspectives from each of the three versions, contextualized within their respective historical and social backgrounds, have all played distinct but important roles in the translation history of the I Ching in Spain. This research holds significance in offering valuable insights into cross-cultural exchange and intellectual discourse related to the dissemination and interpretation of this classical Chinese text on a broader global scale.
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