| Abstract |
Hesu is a renowned translator from the Qing dynasty who translated between the Manchu and Chinese languages, and whose extant translations are related to a variety of subjects. Based on Ci Ben Deo (a collection of his translations), his biography, and relevant archives, this article investigates the details of his life, and how his translations were influenced by his father and the Kangxi Emperor, in an attempt to observe the dynamics occurring between the Manchu and the Han Chinese cultures in the early-Qing era, and the interaction between imperial power and Booi bondservants within the Imperial Household Department. In addition, the comparative analysis of different versions of Ci Ben Deo and its content indicates that Hesu is a significant figure not only because of his famous and widely circulated translations, but also due to the fact that his translations had far-reaching influence over the eight-banner society regarding moral education, language transfer and knowledge transmission in the Qing dynasty. |
