Investigating the Translation of Chinese Classics: Problems and Methods

This book offers a panoramic review of the translation and academic study of Chinese classics spanning philosophy, history, poetry, fiction, drama, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) over four centuries. It synthesizes achievements, addresses gaps, and charts future research directions.

This comprehensive work traces the evolution of translating seminal texts such as the Four Books, the Records of the Grand Historian, Tang poetry, and the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine. It is supported by statistical analyses of CNKI research and case studies on retranslation practices and linguistic challenges such as metonymy. The book examines how these translations have shaped the field of China Studies, critiques methodologies from cultural, literary, and communication perspectives, and integrates reviews by Western sinologists. Bridging historical insights with contemporary debates, such as TCM terminology standardization, the book proposes actionable frameworks for scholars.

This book is indispensable for scholars of translation studies, sinology, and cultural history. It will also engage librarians, publishers, and readers interested in China’s intellectual legacy and cross-cultural exchange.

FAN Xiangtao is a professor at the College of Foreign Languages, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a doctoral supervisor at the College of International Studies, Yangzhou University, China. His research interest includes studies of the translation of Chinese classics and a cognitive approach to translation.