《红楼梦》是中国古典文学的巅峰之作,其复杂的文化意涵和深厚的哲学思辨为翻译带来了巨大挑战。霍克斯(David Hawkes)与杨宪益(Yang Xianyi)的英译本被认为最具代表性,分别采用不同策略传递原著精髓。本文以两部译作(第一回)的十个关键例子为基础,分析哲学隐喻(如“假作真时真亦假”)、神话叙述(如“女娲补天”)、人物心理(如甄士隐的顿悟离去)及诗词翻译(如贾雨村的咏志诗)等方面的差异。霍克斯倾向归化策略,追求叙事流畅性和西方读者的易读性,如将“假作真时真亦假”译为逻辑化的“Truth becomes fiction when the fiction’s true”,虽适应西方哲学框架,但弱化了原文的艺术形式。杨宪益则注重忠实原文,保留文化隐喻和修辞,如“Form does not differ from void”,虽富学术价值但增加理解难度。在叙事与文化象征的平衡上,霍克斯简化复杂文化背景,突出情节发展,而杨宪益忠实还原佛道文化元素,深化文本语境。两种译本各有优劣:霍克斯适合普及型读者,杨宪益则更适合学术研究。本文揭示了翻译中文化张力与平衡问题,为理解《红楼梦》翻译的多样性提供参考。Dream of the Red Chamber is a pinnacle of Chinese classical literature, whose intricate cultural meanings and profound philosophical reflections pose significant challenges for translation. The English translations by David Hawkes and Yang Xianyi are widely regarded as the most representative, each adopting distinct strategies to convey the essence of the original work. This paper examines ten key examples from the first chapter of both translations, focusing on philosophical metaphors (e.g., “Truth becomes fiction when the fiction’s true”), mythological narratives (e.g., “The Goddess Nuwa repairing the heavens”), psychological portrayals (e.g., Zhen Shiyin’s epiphany and departure), and poetic translation (e.g., Jia Yucun’s aspirational verse). Hawkes favors a
