A Project Report On English Translation Of Introductory Texts In The Jiangnan Examination Hall

As the largest specialized museum on the subject of imperial examination culture,Jiangnan Examination Hall has abundant collections and advanced exhibition concept. The Imperial Examination Museum of China was expanded on the basis of the Jiangnan Examination Hall and was opened on 28th January in 2017. It is the only museum in China focusing on the subject of Imperial Examination system. All introductory texts are accompanied by English translation, which can provide convenience for foreign visitors and function as a window to know Chinese culture. Therefore, the translation quality has an effect on cultural exchange at large.As institutions collecting and displaying cultural heritages, museums are of unique significance for cultural exchanges. Introductory texts in museums generally fall into the category of tourism texts, aiming to spread Chinese culture to foreign visitors. In the summer of 2016, the author took part in the translation project of the Imperial Examination Museum of China. The author selects the five exhibition themes as the research object,namely Seeking Talent for the Country, The Fish Leaps Through the Dragon's Gate,Success in the Imperial Examination, Menmorable Stories of Nanjing and Far-reaching Impacts of the Imperial System. Based on the 10,000 C-E translation, the author mainly resorts to case analysis to analyze the stylistic features of the project. Guided by skopos theory, the author sums up different translation strategies: amplification and omission,transliteration with explanation and liberal translation, reconstruction and adaption, which can make sure the translation is faithful to the source text and not bring too heavy burdens on readers.The author hopes that this report, based on the practical project will provide reference for others in terms of the stylistic features, C-E translation principles and translation strategies of permanent exhibition in museums.