《木兰的境遇》里,他讲Moment in Peking似可译为《瞬息京华》。后来的通译是《京华烟云》(北大的白化文老先生在《闲谈写对联》里指出,林语堂Moment in Peking,旧译《瞬息京华》,发音是“去阴阴阳”,这是好的;而新译《京华烟云》,全部平声,这就不好)。小说“全书以道家精神贯穿之,故以庄周哲学为笼络……”,这个基调是我所喜欢的,可惜英文版就看了五十页,中文版也就看了一小部分。
另外,一直以来我只听过辜鸿铭,并没有读过其任何著作(时来惭愧),但是林语堂的极力推崇,让我发现这样的人物。林语堂给了一个例子,外国人翻译的“天时不如地利,地利不如人和”。粗鲁的翻译是:"weather is no better than the physical features of the battle place;the physical features of the battle place is no matter than teamwork!”。而国学大师辜鸿铭的翻译:“Opportunities of time (vouchsafed by) Heaven are not equal to advantages of situation (afforded by) the Earth, and advantages of situation (afforded by) the Earth are not equal to (the union arising from) the accord of Men。”实在是牛X的不行。不服不行来着。