This essay presents evidence that comparison of translations is a fruitful way of teaching Chinese-English comparative literature to undergraduates. After highlighting the strengths of the comparative literature program at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the author uses “Reader Response” theory and the late James J.Y. Liu’s distinction between “naturalization” (tuming Chinese into English) and “barbarization” (twisting English so it becomes Chinese), to examine several undergraduate compositions critiquing various translations of a Chinese poem. Based on his 10 years of experience, the author advises teachers, students, and translators to take a middle-of-the-road approach between “naturalization” and “barbarization” on the one hand, and between the historical and theoretical approaches to translation on the other.

Chinese University of Hong Kong, translation, comparative literature, James J.Y. Liu, pedagogy, “naturalization”, Reader Response theory, “barbarization”, undergraduates, influence