1 Introduction

The translation and introduction of classical Chinese poetry by the West has a long history, and the translation of Zen poetry in the mid to late 20th century became an important feature in the United States. The popularization and modernization of Zen Buddhism in the United States have attracted more attention to Chinese Zen philosophy poetry and Zen inspired poetry. A group of important Zen poetry translators emerged in the United States, such as Gary Snyder, Lucian Striker, and many of them were Zen practitioners. The current research on the translation of Chinese poetry into English is mostly historical in nature, lacking attention to the cultural characteristics of Zen poetry and Buddhism. This article takes Hamill and Chisong as examples and applies Pierre Bourdieu's social practice theory to explore the translation behavior of Zen poetry translators, aiming to reconstruct the relationship between translation and the socio-cultural field.

The Social Translation Perspective of Translator Research

The study of translators from the perspective of social translation studies emphasizes the sociality of translation activities and the social identity of translators, aiming to understand the dialectical relationship between social structure and individual behavior. Bourdieu's concepts of "field" and "habitus" are used to connect individuals with the social environment, where field is a social space with unique rules, and habitus is the behavioral pattern system acquired by individuals within the field. The translator's habits reflect their internalization of social norms and are part of their socialization process. As a medium for interaction between the translation field and other fields, the translator's habits are formed in the social trajectory, with homogeneity and intertwining between individuals and groups. Bourdieu believed that habitus has autonomy and can internalize external structures and externalize them in interactions, thereby potentially changing external structures. The habits of translators have unity and diversity due to the similarity of their social and cultural backgrounds and the differences in their personal trajectories, which affect the structure and content of the translation field.

Sociological Analysis of the Translation Behavior of Three Hamil and Chisong Zen Poems

In depth exploration of the behavior and sociological factors behind the translation of Chinese classical Zen poetry by two American translators, Hamill and Chisong. The translator's habits are not only formed in the translation field, but also structurally influenced by other fields on their initial and specific habits. The isomorphism of translation behavior between Hamill and Akamatsu stems from their shared social and religious domains. They both grew up during the Zen craze in the mid-20th century in the United States, and the social and religious changes and changes in the field of poetry and literature during this period had a profound impact on their translation habits.

4 Conclusion

In the mid-20th century, under the religious and literary cultural background of American society, the Zen craze and the Beat movement emerged, promoting the translation and dissemination of classical Chinese Zen poetry in the United States. Translators such as Hamir and Chisong were deeply influenced by Zen Buddhism. Through translation practice, they integrated Zen philosophy into their poetry creation, promoting the establishment and development of the tradition of Zen poetry translation. The translation behavior of the translator group not only reflects the collective characteristics of a specific era's cultural background, but also demonstrates the uniqueness and differences of individual life experiences, jointly enriching the field of American poetry.