THE PRACTICE OF MULTISOURCE TRANSWRITING IN H. G. CREEL’S THE BIRTH OF CHINA

Abstract

The article explores the work “The Birth of China” through the lens of Multisource Transwriting - a new concept in translation studies aimed at understanding text creation practices in the absence of a single prototype. The study analyzes the process of integrating scattered and multimodal primary sources into a cohesive historical narrative. The study provides a detailed tracking and classification of four types of prototypes: archaeological excavation reports, oracle bone inscriptions, bronze epigraphy, and pre-Qin literary monuments. The article examines the mechanism of transwriting (translation-writing) that transforms material artifacts and fragmentary evidence into a system of academic discourse with the status of reliable historical knowledge. It is emphasized that the implementation of this paradigm helps to challenge Eurocentric stereotypes and, through the creative reconstruction of meanings, build a well-grounded model of inter-civilizational knowledge production. The study demonstrates the potential of multisource transwriting as a tool for shaping a more authentic representation of a civilization within the context of contemporary international communication.