A study of Balfour’s English translation of the Zhuangzi in light of comparative religion

Abstract

As an important text of Chinese philosophy and Daoism, the English translation of the Zhuangzi has played a key role in cultural exchange between China and the West. In the 19th century, the emergence of the study of comparative religions promoted an interest in the West in Eastern philosophies, and Balfour's English translation of the Zhuangzi is an important achievement of this period, as it is the first translation of the Zhuangzi in the English-speaking world. This study analyses the Sino-Western religious dialogue in Balfour's translation from the perspective of comparative religion, and explores its implications for the development of Daoism in contemporary China and the comparative study of Chinese and Western religions. The study finds that the Balfour translation not only provides the Western world with a new perspective for understanding Eastern philosophy, but also promotes the international dissemination of Chinese religious philosophy and enhances the world's understanding of religious diversity.