ON THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION PRODUCTS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF STANDARDIZATION

School of English Language and Culture,Xi’an Fanyi University,Xi’an,China Email:43403492@qq.com

[Abstract]The international protection of Chinese Materia Medica Geographical Indication Products is insufficient nowadays.The romanization of geographical names and the English translation of Chinese materia medica are still needed to be improved in translation practice.The government should play a more active role in CMM GI translation planning and building an online terminology bank for free access to improve the publicity of Chinese materia medica worldwide.

[Keywords]geographical indication;Chinese materia medica;standardization;translation

Introduction

Chinese herbal medicine or Chinese materia medica(CMM)has been widely used as natural materials for natural remedies,healthcare products and processing decoction pieces for thousands of years.According to the Compendium of Materia Medica(Bencao Gangmu),known as“the ancient Chinese encyclopedia”,published in 1596,1892 CMM species had been recorded.(ISO 18662-1:2017)In recent decades,CMM spread from China to its neighboring countries and have grown in popularity.The implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative is accelerating the import and export of materia medica,which reached 6.174 billion US dollars in 2019.By December 2020,more than 30 overseas traditional Chinese medicine centers run 388 projects in nearly 90 countries.Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)has become highlights of the ongoing 2020 COVID-19 epidemic,and CMM industry is embracing a great opportunity in expanding its worldwide existence.But there are still many bottlenecks to be broken in the publicity of CMM geographical indication(GI)products,especially the translation planning of CMM GI products needs to be paid attention by governments in China.

Problems on The Translation of CMM GI Products

The status quo of rendering CMM GI products is not satisfactory,after analyzing the CMM GI trademarks published on the website of the Trademark Office of National Intellectual Property Administration(NIPA),PRC,and the CMM GI product names retrieved from the website of National Public Service Platform for Standards Information of Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China(SAC).Except the spelling error:the misspelling of“HAWTHORN”as“HAWTHOTN”in the GI trademark translations oftian bao shan shan zha(天寶山山楂)andfei xian shan zha(費縣山楂),other problems on rendering CMM GI products are as follows:

Insufficient International Protection on CMM GI Products

at present,the protection of the CMM GI products is relatively weak in China.Many CMM products with regional characteristics are protected neither under the trademark law nor under Sui generis legislation in China.

There are 5682 GI trademarks registered till June 2020.Only 181 of them are CMM GI trademarks,among which 24 with English translation,61 with transcription in Latin characters,96 with Chinese characters.

3089 Agro-product GIs are retrieved in the website of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the PRC,195 of which are CMM GI products.The data of these products published include the name in Chinese,description of the agricultural product,etc.,but English names are not provided.

In the website of National Public Service Platform for Standards Information of SAC,only 19 national standards of CMM GI products are searched.Detailed information related to the GI products are recorded,as well as the name both in Chinese and in English.

There are 10 China’s GI products,registered from the year 2010 to year 2012,documented in the EU geographical indications register eAmbrosia.None of these are CMM GI products.The names registered include the name in Chinese characters and the transcription in Latin characters.From the perspective of communication,the Romanized transliteration of Chinese characters fails to attract the attention of foreign consumers and lacks effective information correlation for products,which is not conducive to the marketing and promotion of China’s GI products in foreign countries.

On September 14,2020,AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND THE EUROPEAN UNION ON COOPERATION ON,AND PROTECTION OF,GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS(AGREEMENT ON GIs 2020)is signed.275 GI products registered in China are listed in the annexes of the agreement,including 16 CMM GI products.In these annexes,each GI product is followed with transcription in Latin characters and translation for information purposes,which has made a great breakthrough and progress in the international protection of China’s GIs.

Violation of The ISO 7098 And GB/T 16159-2012

a CMM GI is typically composed of a geographical name and a generic name.A geographical name should be transcripted via Chinese Romanization or transliteration in accordance with the ISO 7098Information and Documentation-Romanization of Chinese,GB/T 16159-2012Basic Rules for Hanyu Pinyin Orthography and The Spelling Principles on the Hanyu Pinyin of Chinese Geographical Names,jointly issued by China’s Committee of Geographical Names,Committee of Chinese Language Reform and State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping in 1984.

among the 61 GI trademarks with transcription in Latin characters,53 ones are spelled in improper forms,some with a confusing acronym like“ZRTZS”inzhe rong tai zi shen(柘榮太子參),some with wrong segmentation like“WEIYUANBAITIAODANGSHEN”inwei yuan bai tiao dang shen(渭源白條黨參),“LONGLINGZIPISHIHU”inlong ling zi pi shi hu(龍陵紫皮石斛),and“FANGXIANZHONGYAOCAIXIEHUI”in fang xian jiao gu lan(房縣絞股藍).

Random Selection of Translation Strategy

The generic name of a CMM GI should be rendered as a term,which is applied in the PRC National Standards of CMM GI products.19 English translations of the CMM GI products’Chinese names are retrieved from the PRC National Standards.The translation strategies applied in the translation are not clearly planned:“Wenshan sanqi”(文山三七,GB/T 19086-2008),“Zhaotong tianma”(昭通天麻,GB/T 19776-2008),“Shizhu huanglian”(石柱黃連,GB/T 20358-2006),“Lingbao Duzhong”(靈寶杜仲,GB/T 22742-2008),“Lushi Lianqiao”(盧氏連翹,GB/T 22743-2008),“Jiangyou fuzi”(江油附子,GB/T 23399-2009),“Fucheng maidong”(涪城麥冬,GB/T 23400-2009)and“Honghe dengzhanhua”(紅河燈盞花,GB/T 23404-2009)are transcription in Latin characters;“Huai Radix Rehmanniae”(懷地黃,GB/T 20350-2006),“Huai Rhizoma Dioscoreae”(懷山藥,GB/T 20351-2006),“Huai Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae”(懷牛膝,GB/T 20352-2006),“Huai Flos Chrysanthemum”(懷菊花,GB/T 20353-2006)and“Jiyuan herb rabdosiae rubescentis”(濟源冬凌草,GB/T 22744-2008)are Latin pharmaceutical name of the Chinese Materia Medica fromPharmacopoeia of The People’s Republic of China;“Fangcheng salvia miltiorrhiza bge(Yu salvia miltiorrhiza bge)”(方城丹參,裕丹參),GB/T 22745-2008)is the botanical Latin scientific name.The same problem is in the CMM GI trademarks translation strategy selection.

In July 2017,the international standard ISO 18662-1Traditional Chinese medicine-Vocabulary-Part 1:Chinese Materia Medicawas published.496 CMM species are listed in the standard,specifying the Latin name,Chinese name,Pinyin name,English name,and source-related definition of applicable parts and botanical name of the plant,zoological family name of the animal,or mineral stated with mineral or rock title and active ingredients.On September 14,2020,the European Union and the People’s Republic of China signed the agreement on cooperation on,and protection of,geographical indications.In the annexes of the agreement,275 China’s GI products are recorded,in which 16 ones are CMM GI products.In Table 1,the translations of the CMMmai dong(麥冬),gou qi(枸杞),shi hu(石斛),wu bei zi(五倍子),chen pi(陳皮),hua ju hong(化橘紅),andhuang lian(黃連)are different.In a certain degree,the national standards and the international standards are neglected in translation practices.

Table 1:the English translation of CMM in AGREEMENT ON GIs 2020 and ISO 18662-1:2017

Hua Ju Hong(化橘紅)Shizhu Huang Lian(石柱黃連)Xingren Yi Ren Mi(興仁薏仁米)Wenshan San Qi(文山三七)Lanzhou Bai He(蘭州百合)Minxian Dang Gui(岷縣當歸)Ningxia Gou Qi(寧夏枸杞)Hua Reddish Orange Shizhu Coptis Root Xinren Coix Seed Wenshan notoginseng Lanzhou Lily Minxian Angelica Ningxia Goji Berry hua ju hong(化橘紅)huang lian(黃連)yi ren mi(薏仁米)san qi(三七)bai he(百合)dang gui(當歸)gou qi(枸杞)Citri grandis exocarpium Coptidis rhizoma Coicis semen Notoginseng radix et rhizoma Lilii bulbus Angelicae sinensis radix Lycii fructus Pomelo flavedo;pummelo peel Coptis rhizome Coix seed Notoginseng root;sanchi ginger Lily bulb Tangkuei;angelica root Lycium fruit;Chinese wolfberry fruit

Solutions on Standardizing The English Translation of CMM GI Products

CMM is a major contribution China makes to humankind.But its worldwide acceptance needs more efforts on language planning,especially on the translation planning of CMMs.

Strengthening inter-departmental Coordination on The GI Name Consistency

The CMM GI products protection involves the State Administration for Market Regulation(SAMR)and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the PRC.The China National Intellectual Property Administration(CNIPA),a vice-ministerial-level state agency under the SAMR,is responsible for the registration,administration,and protection of GI products in China.GI trademarks,as collective trademarks or certification trademarks,can be applied in the Trademark Office of NIPA,PRC.The Agro-product GIs,generally registered in Chinese characters without an English translation,is charged by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the PRC.The CMM GI Products national standards are approved and coordinated by the SAC.The CMM Latin name is approved and published by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission,under the leadership of the National Medical Products Administration.

The English translation of the CMM GI Products registered in different systems should keep the name consistent,and avoid the case ofchang bai shan ren shen(長白山人參),which is translated“CBM GINSENG”in the certification trademark,and“Jilinchangbaishan ginseng”in the national standard of GB/T 19506-2009.Another case iszhao tong tian ma(昭通天麻),which is translated“Zhaotong Rhizoma Gastrodiae”in the certification trademark,and“Zhaotong tianma”in the national standard of GB/T 19776-2008.In fact,the English name oftian ma(天麻)is“Tall Gastrodis”(Zhao,2017,p.408).

Detailed guidelines and substantive examination should be made for the English name consistency of the CMM GI products to ensure the referential link between the Chinese name and its English translation.And the English name of the CMM GI product is recommended to be an element in the GI certification trademark design.

Building An Online Terminology Bank of CMM GI Products

Translation is a norm-governed activity.Names,especially geographical names and indications of goods,are closely related to daily life and business activities.Therefore,they are coordinated by laws,regulations,and standards,which are materialized in official documents of international and regional organizations,governments,professional societies,and other authorizes,and authorized reference works.

In terms of geographical names,the translation should adopt the method of Romanization.A Handbook of Romanization of Chinese Geographical Nameswas published in 1977 and revised in 1982.

In terms of CMM names,it is quite complicated.Herbal medicine is highly specialized.The nomenclature is difficult for non-professionals.The International Organization for Standardization has developedTraditional Chinese medicine-Vocabulary-Part 1:Chinese Materia Medica(ISO 18662-1:2017),and so on.These international standards play an important role in the publicity of CMM,but the quantity of the species is still quite limited.

In recent years,lots of bilingual or English reference works related to CMM are published,such as theEncyclopedia of Medicinal Plants,Science of Chinese Materia Medica,Handbook of Medicinal Herbs.In order to achieve a better communication,an English name is preferred rather than the Latin name or scientific name.For example,gou qi(枸杞)，the dried ripe fruit of Lycium barbarum L.(Fam.Solanaceae),has the Latin name“Lycii fructus”,and English name“l(fā)ycium fruit”or“Chinese wolfberry fruit”(ISO 18662-1:2017),but it was translated as“Goji Berry”in the Agreement on GIs 2020.

The EU has achieved a very effective system to protect those PGIs or PDOs with standardized list and application format with detailed description on the eAmbrosia system.The China’s government is recommended to build a complete list of CMM GI products with their English translation.

Conclusion

In the past decades,China has achieved fruitful results in the translation of TCM classics into foreign languages,the construction of bilingual teaching materials for TCM,the compilation of bilingual reference books for TCM,and the construction of international standards for TCM.The application of the above-mentioned publications of translation planning is still at very primary stage and neglected in bilingual practice.

Language planning is an effective way to improve the translation quality of CMM GI products.The eAmbrosia system has set a good example of language planning in translation,which provides GI products information in 24 languages.The standardization of CMM GI products English translation is critical to the international protection and trade of CMM GI products worldwide.It is vitally important to improve the translation planning,especially to build and update the CMM GI products terminology bank,contributing to the CMM GI brand building.

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