Introduction

This article introduces the history and current status of the translation of the Tao Te Ching in the Spanish speaking world, pointing out the large number of translations and the wide range of translators and publishers involved, making it a unique case of the canonization of Chinese classics in the Spanish speaking world. At the same time, it is pointed out that although there are numerous Spanish translations of the Tao Te Ching, the academic community has not yet conducted systematic research and failed to reveal the enlightening value of its classicization path for the "going global" of current Chinese literary culture. American scholar Lawrence Venuti proposed that literary texts included in classics should have academic, educational, economic, and social value. Using a translation case study, demonstrate the appropriateness of this argument for translation research. The translation form and classic introduction of the Tao Te Ching in the Spanish speaking world have gone through multiple stages, and the translations of each period clearly present the translation context and value panorama of the translation network in the Spanish speaking world in terms of surface and deep features.

The budding period of the second translation: from the 16th century to the mid-19th century, with a focus on research, there were attached attribute excerpts and abridged translations

Before the mid-19th century, the translation and introduction of the Tao Te Ching in the Spanish speaking world mainly took the form of excerpts and excerpts, serving as an auxiliary tool for studying Chinese society and philosophy. The translators of this period were mainly Dominican monks and conservative Catholic thinkers who attempted to explore the relationship between the Tao Te Ching and Christianity in order to promote the dissemination of doctrine and provide advice to the Spanish king. In 1590, Taoist monk Gao Muxian translated the "Mingxin Baojian" into Spanish, which included excerpts from some chapters of the "Tao Te Ching". In 1676, Min Ming translated some parts of the Longhua Portuguese version of the Tao Te Ching. In 1845, the Barcelona Literary Society translated Baudelaire's "Chinese Library: Part One", which included the contents of multiple chapters of the Tao Te Ching. Baudrillard highly praised the "Dao" and emphasized the alignment between the Tao Te Ching and the spirit of Christianity. In the early 19th century, conservative Catholic philosopher Jaime Palmes translated Chapter 14 of the Tao Te Ching into Spanish and believed that Laozi may have been influenced by Jewish doctrine. Although these excerpts and excerpts have marginalized characteristics, they have certain social value for religious groups to understand Chinese society and culture at that time.

Development period of three translations: the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, the "implicit" full translation based on European Sinology

In the late 19th and mid-20th centuries, the development of Spanish Sinology was limited by the number of Sinologists proficient in Chinese, resulting in the translation of the Tao Te Ching relying heavily on English and French base versions. During this period, the emergence of various translated versions met the demand of the Spanish speaking world for understanding Chinese social and cultural aspects, and had economic value. The translation of the Tao Te Ching not only brings knowledge of Chinese Taoist thought to Spanish readers, but also introduces the "implicit" interpretation method of mainstream European Sinology, promoting direct translation activities and replicating Europe's understanding of Chinese Taoist classics in Spanish translations.

The mature stage of four translations: the "authentic" full translation based on unearthed documents in the mid to late 20th century

In the mid to late 20th century, the translation and introduction of the Tao Te Ching in the Spanish speaking world entered a mature stage, and the "authentic" full translation based on unearthed documents became the mainstream. The excavation of silk books from the Mawangdui Han Tomb and Chu slips from Guodian promoted the process of canonization of the Tao Te Ching. Spanish translators have improved their Chinese proficiency and are increasingly choosing to directly translate and convey Eastern ideas. The discovery of the silk book "Tao Te Ching" from the Mawangdui Han Tomb in 1973 has attracted global attention in the field of Sinology. In 1978, Spanish sinologist Bi Yinya published "The Thought of Dao" based on a silk manuscript, which was reprinted nearly 20 times and became the most reprinted Western translation, winning the Spanish National Translation Award. Bi Yinya interprets the Tao Te Ching from multiple levels, believing that "Dao" refers to "process" and advocating the Taoist philosophy of "non action". Its translation is hailed as an "outstanding version" and is the most complete Spanish version to date. In 1985, Lei Mengdu translated the Tao Te Ching based on the Wang Bi version, fully explaining the reasons why "Dao" should not be translated. In 1995, Lei Mengdu further elaborated on the application of Taoist wisdom in life and government management in his book "The Art of Dao and Government". In the 1990s, female translator Anne Helen Suarez's Western translation of the Tao Te Ching, based on the Wang Bi edition, was reprinted six times in an attempt to make Spanish readers deeply understand the philosophical ideas of the Tao Te Ching. She focuses on conveying the philosophy contained in the original text, translating "dao" as "curso" and "sage" as "santo". In the mid-20th century, the quantity and quality of Western translations of the Tao Te Ching greatly improved, and translators generally adopted the strategy of alienation translation, striving to reproduce the essence of the original text. The independent thinking of Spanish Sinologists demonstrates the steady development of Spanish Sinology and reflects the strong interest of the Spanish academic community in ancient Chinese wisdom. The Spanish translation of the Tao Te Ching has received good reviews on book sales platforms such as Amazon, maintaining stable and strong sales performance, reflecting the strong interest of Spanish readers in Chinese culture, providing considerable economic returns for translators and publishing institutions, and further stimulating investment in Spanish Sinology research. The Western translation of the Tao Te Ching provides rich materials for the development and inheritance of Sinology in the Spanish speaking world, promoting the high-quality development of Sinology research in the Spanish language.

The Prosperous Period of Five Translations: Diversified Full Translation and Multimodal Translation Creation with Generation and Reconstruction as the Goal in the 21st Century

The translation of the Tao Te Ching in the Spanish speaking world in the 21st century presents a trend of diversified full translation and multimodal translation creation. Spanish translators convey the social and economic value of the Tao Te Ching through full translation in the context of mutual learning between Eastern and Western civilizations. Some translators engage in creative translation, providing innovative interpretations in a multimodal format for readers of all ages. Popular authors and translators such as Wayne Dyer and Alfonso Kolodron translate based on market demand and cultural differences to ensure that the translation resonates with readers. Chinese translators such as Tang Mingxin, Li Jianzhong, and Mao Pin have won attention both domestically and internationally with their rigorous attitude and high-quality translations. The high-quality joint construction of the "the Belt and Road" and the government's emphasis on the "going global" of Chinese culture have promoted the cooperation between Chinese and Western translators to translate the full Spanish version of Tao Te Ching. Sinologists such as Gao Dun and Gao Boyi use methods such as retaining first person and adding second person translation to bring readers closer and provide a tangible reading experience. Multimodal translation incorporates innovative elements and pursues expressive expression, such as the exploration and analysis of the Tao Te Ching by artificial intelligence systems. Independent and self published translations of the Tao Te Ching have become the mainstream trend, meeting the needs of cultural diversity. The translation of the Tao Te Ching has generated positive social value in the Spanish speaking world, covering various innovative forms, forming a broad knowledge system, and profoundly influencing Spanish literature.

Conclusion 6

The classicization of translated texts is the process of gaining recognition and appreciation from readers through the dissemination of texts in foreign countries. The canonization of the Tao Te Ching in the Spanish speaking world has gone through four stages, and its attributes have gradually strengthened. The joint research of Chinese and Western scholars has earned it a classic status in the Spanish speaking world. The Tao Te Ching is an important representative of Chinese philosophy and traditional culture, which was first translated and introduced outside the country and had a profound impact. Its translation transcends ethnicity and national borders, becoming a successful case of dialogue between Eastern and Western classical studies in the era of globalization.