1、 Introduction

This article introduces the importance of the "Monument to the Popularity of Nestorianism in China in the Great Qin Dynasty" since its excavation during the Tianqi period of the Ming Dynasty, in the history of the spread of Christianity in China. Since the publication of the stele, Western missionaries and scholars have conducted extensive research, while Russia has paid little attention to the translation and interpretation of Nestorian steles. Starting from the second half of the 18th century, the Russian Orthodox Mission in Beijing developed a strong interest in Nestorian monuments and continued to translate and interpret them. The reasons why Russians translate Nestorian tablets include political needs, missionary needs in China, and academic needs. The Russian Orthodox Mission in Beijing is responsible for multiple missions including politics, religion, and academia, and studying China's history, society, and foreign relations is its "mission" in Beijing. The study of Nestorian steles provides historical reference for the existence and development of the Russian Orthodox Church in China. At the same time, the retranslation of Nestorian tablets by Western missionaries and scholars provided reliable references for the translation of Russian scholars.

2、 The translation process of the Russian "Monument to the Popularity of Nestorianism in China during the Great Qin Dynasty"

A detailed discussion was conducted on the translation process of the "Great Qin Nestorianism Popularity Monument in China" in Russia before 1917. Translating this monument requires the translator to have a profound understanding of Chinese language, mastery of Western languages, knowledge of the history of Christian missionary work in China, as well as the development and major achievements of European Orientalism. In the second half of the 18th century, the Russian Orthodox Mission in Beijing began to realize the important documentary value of the Great Qin Nestorianism Monument. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Russian government reorganized the Mission, improved the selection criteria of its members, and began to send people with university education and knowledge of European sinology to China, making the Great Qin Nestorianism Monument a target for Russian translation and research. From 1824 to 1898, Russian missionaries stationed in Beijing conducted multiple translations and studies of the Nestorian Stele, resulting in six translations.

3、 Russian scholars' interpretation of the "Monument to the Popularity of Nestorianism in China during the Great Qin Dynasty"

Deeply explored the translation and interpretation work of Russian scholars on the popular Chinese stele of Nestorianism in the Great Qin Dynasty. As an important cultural relic and document of Chinese Nestorianism, the "Great Qin Nestorianism Popularity Monument" is divided into two parts: preface and eulogy, which respectively outline the basic doctrines of Nestorianism and its dissemination in the Tang Dynasty. Russian sinologists pay special attention to the accuracy of religious terminology in the process of translation and interpretation, and provide rich annotations. They conducted in-depth research on the core terms and concepts of Nestorianism, such as "Nestorianism", "Aloha", "Satan", "Mishiha", etc. These translations and annotations help to understand the teachings of Nestorianism. Russian scholars have adopted a literal translation method when translating religious names, such as the word 'jing', and combined it with historical documents for explanation. When dealing with Nestorian terminology, Russian translators often use transliteration and attempt to use Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist words for free translation to express their meanings. In addition, Russian sinologists also attach great importance to the annotation of religious doctrines in translation, such as the doctrine of the Trinity and redemption, and refer to Yangmano's explanation for literal translation and annotation. In terms of historical and cultural translation and interpretation, Russian sinologists have added annotations on historical time, events, and geographical terms, such as the temple and year names of Tang Dynasty emperors, as well as the translation and verification of geographical terms such as "Great Qin", "Coral Sea", and "Weak Water". These works not only reflect the contribution of Russian sinologists to the translation characteristics and research achievements of Nestorian steles, but also reflect their religious stance and in-depth understanding of historical background in the translation process.

4、 Conclusion

We discussed the translation and research of the "Great Qin Nestorianism Popularity in China Stele" by Russian sinologists, with the main motivation being academic, aimed at understanding the spread of Christianity in China. Translators of Russian translations include religious history researchers and Chinese language students who have a deep understanding of inscriptions and provide historical and cultural interpretations. In the 1820s and 1830s, Russian Sinology developed rapidly and Russia became one of the powerful countries in European Sinology. Translators are influenced by national interests and cultural backgrounds in their translation and research, and translate Nestorianism as "Orthodox" to reflect the spread of Eastern Orthodoxy in China. Before 1917, Russian sinologists completed a systematic translation of Nestorian steles. During the Soviet era, research shifted towards a historical perspective and comprehensive studies of Christian history were conducted. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, contemporary Russian scholars began to attach great importance to the historical value of Nestorian steles and regarded them as important materials for the study of the history of Christianity in the Tang Dynasty. Scholars have studied Nestorian steles from different perspectives, such as cultural adaptation and missionary activities, and gradually expanded the scope of use of Chinese Nestorian literature. But Russian scholars' grasp of newly unearthed Nestorian literature is relatively lagging behind.