Wuxing:Cultural Connotations And Translation Strategies

Deep-rooted in traditional culture and reflecting the unique thought of Chinese people, the thought of Wuxing, or the Five Elements, has had a profound influence on Chinese people over centuries. Since it bears rich connotation and wide extension, it has been controversial whether to adopt transliteration or free translation.In the light of Functional Equivalence Theory, the thesis is a discussion of the translation of Wuxing on the basis of research findings. With historical materials from Chinese classics as linguistic data, the thesis is a systematic study of its scientificity, nationality, translatability, accuracy and culture from the macroscope and microscope. First, originally national culture should be taken into full consideration, so it is justified to use transliteration and free translation. Second, free translation is advised when the terms only refer to materials. If it contains abstract sense, free translation or phonosemantic translation ought to be used. As the terms involve synonyms, polysemies and polyphones, free translation should be also flexibly selected and appropriately added according to contexts. Third, to help readers understand the hidden messages in the terms, proper notes are sometimes necessary if cultural background is absent in the context.