Literature, Language and Cultural Studies
Literature, Language and Cultural Studies ISSN Print: 3079-5095 ISSN Online: 3079-5109
A Study on the Difficulties in Interpreting Culture-loaded Words of Fanshan Jiaozi from the Perspective of Skopos Theory
To provide corpus for the foreign interpretation of Bashu folk dances, this paper takes relevant entries including official promotion documents of Pingchang County government, scenic area commentaries and Encyclopedia of Sichuan Folk Culture as research corpus. Based on the inductive research method and from the perspective of Skopos Theory, it sorts out and classifies four categories of culture-loaded words in the text: dance moves, folk proverbs, props and utensils, and regional folk customs. Combined with cognitive differences between Chinese and English cultures, it summarizes the core difficulties in interpreting culture-loaded words of Fanshan Jiaozi, including cultural vacancy of local imagery, loss of folk metaphorical connotations, chaotic translation of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) proprietary terms, and difficulties in transferring the semantics of folk performance rules. This paper also analyzes the root causes of these difficulties and puts forward targeted solutions. The study summarizes translation rules of vocabulary adapted to the context of cultural tourism publicity, which not only provides a reference for standardized interpretation of Fanshan Jiaozi, but also offers corpus for the foreign translation of similar local ICH cultural tourism texts in northeastern Sichuan and the overseas dissemination of regional folk culture.
Copyright (c) 2026 by author(s) and Erytis Publishing Limited https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
A Study on Discourse Differences Between International Communication and Local Government Affairs News — A Comparative Analysis of Chinese and English News Headlines from Wenzhou
This study takes Wenzhou's Chinese and English news headlines from the same period time as its research object. Employing content analysis, it establishes a unified nine-category thematic classification framework, coding 96 English international publicity headlines and 179 Chinese local government affairs headlines, calculating their proportions, and conducting a comparative interpretation. The findings reveal that Chinese local news takes party and government governance as its core narrative thread, focusing on intra-city governance, policy implementation, and local industrial development, while English international news downplays official government discourse and prioritizes foreign trade and cross-border international cooperation as its communication core. The two differ significantly in industrial narrative perspective, the orientation of science and technology talent publicity, the scope of infrastructure and transportation coverage, the weight of ecological and livelihood topics, the positioning of cultural tourism communication, and the selection of subjects in international cooperation. These differences fundamentally stem from the divergence in audience targeting, communication objectives, and publicity scenarios between the two types of media texts. This study provides additional insights for optimizing international communication strategies in domestic cities.
A Study on the Problems and Countermeasures of Students’ Insufficient Oral English Proficiency in Senior High School English Teaching
Against the backdrop of accelerating globalization and the in-depth advancement of China’s educational modernization strategy, the significance of oral English proficiency as a communication tool has grown increasingly prominent. China's Education Modernization 2035 explicitly sets forth the goal of comprehensively enhancing students’ comprehensive quality and international communication competence. However, in the current practice of senior high school English teaching, students generally demonstrate insufficient oral competence, which has become a major constraint on fulfilling the intended objectives of English education.Based on policy document analysis, this paper examines the core problems plaguing oral English instruction in Chinese senior high schools. Grounded in the guiding philosophies of China's Education Modernization 2035, it proposes targeted improvement strategies revolving around teaching model reform, evaluation system innovation, teacher competency upgrading, and teaching resource optimization. By integrating theoretical analysis with practical considerations, this study aims to provide actionable implementation pathways and policy suggestions for the reform of senior high school English education in China.
The Genealogical Presuppositions of Danto's End of Art Thesis and Their Ancient Greek Roots
Arthur C. Danto's “end of art” thesis, framed within Hegelian philosophy of history, narrates the history of art as a teleological process in which art, through self-reflection, ultimately achieves philosophical self-consciousness. This article reveals a long-neglected genealogical presupposition behind this narrative: what Danto inherits is merely one of the two ancient Greek classificatory domains of “art”—the tradition of technē (craft), centered on rational, rule-governed making. Running parallel to this in the Greek intellectual world was an equally significant domain: mousikē (the arts of the Muses), whose core mechanism was enthousiasmos (divine inspiration), encompassing the performative practices of poetry, music, and dance. Although these two domains were never unified under a single concept in Greek antiquity, both are ancestors of what we today call art. Danto's “embodied meaning”—meaning prior to materiality, cognition prior to sensibility—is precisely the philosophical culmination of the technē lineage alone. By tracing the genealogical roots of this classificatory fissure, this paper argues that three dimensions carried by mousikē—performativity, inspiration, and syncretic unity—are systematically excluded from Danto's framework, and it corroborates this diagnosis through independent practices drawn from non-Western aesthetic traditions. The conclusion suggests that the “end” Danto proclaims describes not the end of art as such, but the exhaustion of a particular narrative mode internal to the technē lineage. The other half of art never entered the question-framing of this lineage at all.
Strategies on Dealing with New Words in English Reading Comprehension
Vocabulary is the flesh and blood of English learning. Furthermore vocabulary learning is a crucial element in cultivating English core competence. The learning and accumulation of vocabulary is also the prerequisite of improving reading capacity, while the new words lay much difficulties on the way to successful reading comprehension. Therefore it is an inescapable part for teachers to solve students’ problems on new words by offering them some strategies on how to cope with them in reading comprehension, guiding learners to deal with new words in a faster and more firm way. So this passage will start from word prediction,word recognition and word formation to foster learners’ learning ability on new words, which helps students get an actual development in dealing with new words, further enhancing reading comprehension ability and increasing reading proficiency. By virtue of these strategies, learners can raise confidence in dealing with new words in the future reading and eventually develop their own unique learning habits on meeting unknown vocabulary.
A Foucauldian Analysis of Body Inscription and Female Agency in The Joy Luck Club
Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club explores the complex relationships between Chinese immigrant mothers and their American-born daughters as they navigate cultural identity and mutual understanding. This article examines how body discipline and female agency are represented across three generations in this novel. Drawing on Michel Foucault’s theory of disciplinary power, it analyzes An-mei Hsu, her mother and her daughter Rose in different historical and cultural settings. The mother’s flesh-cutting and strategically timed suicide reveal an agency that remains entangled with bodily injury; An-mei’s scar becomes a medium of maternal memory and testimony; Rose turns inherited memory into resistance within her marriage. Thus this novel shows how forms of resistance change as body memory is transmitted and reinterpreted across generations, contributing to the formation of Chinese American female subjectivity.
Application of Scaffolding Instruction to Senior High School English Reading
Against the backdrop of the current English curriculum's integration of instrumentality and humanity, this paper explores the application of scaffolding instruction to senior high school English reading instruction. It first outlines the core concept and theoretical foundations of scaffolding instruction, then elaborates on the concrete implementation procedures, and analyzes its pedagogical advantages in real classroom practice. Finally, supported by specific teaching cases, the paper focuses on the practical use of question scaffolds and graphic organizers in senior high school English reading instruction.
The Application of Task-based Language Teaching Method in English Reading Teaching
With the advancement of educational reform, the task-based language teaching, as an innovative teaching method, is attracting the attention of more and more educators. It enables students to carry out English reading learning with high quality under the guidance of clear tasks and helps to improve students' reading efficiency. In this paper, we will discuss connotation of the task-based teaching method and its importance, application strategies and limitations in English reading teaching.
The Spread of Acupuncture Culture in Europe
This paper investigates the historical trajectory and contemporary dynamics of acupuncture culture in Europe through a combined methodology of literature review, historical analysis, and selected case studies. Drawing on both Chinese and Western archival materials, policy documents, and clinical reports from the 16th century to the present, the study traces the initial introduction of acupuncture to Europe, examines the institutional and cognitive barriers it encountered, and identifies key turning points that facilitated its gradual acceptance. Particular attention is given to the role of UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage designation, the impact of high‑profile medical endorsements and the emerging channels of medical tourism and legislative support. The analysis reveals that, despite persistent skepticism and competition from modern biomedical technologies, acupuncture has successfully established a foothold in Europe by adapting its theoretical framework, improving clinical standards, and leveraging cross‑cultural exchanges. The paper concludes that sustainable dissemination depends on continuous methodological innovation, rigorous evidence‑based practice, and active dialogue with local healthcare systems, offering practical implications for the global promotion of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Communication Between China and the West
Analysis of Pragmatic Negative Transfer and Chinglish Phenomena from the Perspective of Second Language Acquisition EFL Learners
Based on second language acquisition theory, this paper explores the mechanism by which pragmatic negative transfer influences the formation of Chinglish. The study demonstrates that Chinese English learners, due to interference from their native pragmatic rules in cross-cultural communication, exhibit negative transfer at lexical, syntactic, and cultural levels. This results in “Chinglish”—a deviation from standard English norms. Integrating Selinker’s interlanguage theory and Kasper’s pragmatic transfer framework, the study argues that Chinglish manifests as a fossilized pragmatic feature of interlanguage.
Measures to Reduce Beginners’ Foreign Language Test Anxiety
Foreign language test anxiety can affect beginner learners’ performance and engagement because it combines general evaluative pressure with the situation-specific demands of processing and producing a less familiar language. This focused review examines its definition, contributing factors, associations with test performance and language learning, and classroom-based reduction measures. The factors discussed include low confidence and negative self-evaluation, perceived difficulty and high-stakes consequences, unfamiliar test procedures, fear of negative evaluation, and anxious interpretations of disappointing results. The reviewed evidence indicates that anxiety is generally associated with lower language performance and may interfere with attention, processing, recall, response management, and continued participation, although the strength of these relationships varies across learners, skills, tests, and contexts. Five coordinated measures are proposed: fostering a supportive learning environment, teaching test-taking strategies, incorporating brief and well-practiced relaxation techniques, providing frequent low-stakes retrieval and mock-test opportunities, and encouraging realistic, evidence-based self-talk. These measures are intended to reduce avoidable anxiety-related interference without lowering academic standards or replacing language study, thereby helping beginners demonstrate their current ability more accurately and continue learning with greater confidence.
A Cognitive Contrastive Study of English and Chinese Food Metaphors: A Case Study of Expressions Related to Chi/Eat
Food metaphor is one of the most fundamental conceptual metaphors in human cognition, whose formation is rooted in embodied experience and national culture. Taking Conceptual Metaphor Theory as the analytical framework, this paper selects the Chinese character chi (eat) and the English word eat as research objects. Based on general corpora and authentic translation cases, it compares the metaphorical similarities and differences between the two from three dimensions: semantic extension scope, mapping path, and cognitive perspective. It further explores the cultural motivations behind the differences and proposes targeted translation strategies. The study finds that English eat and Chinese chi share cognitive commonalities in domains such as "consumption and endurance", but differ significantly in the generalization degree of metaphors in domains like social relations and survival interests. The essence of such differences lies in the distinct status of food culture and divergent cognitive perspectives in Chinese and Western contexts. The findings can provide cognitive references for the translation of culture-loaded food-related expressions.
International Cultural Tourism Narrative Strategies for Local Intangible Cultural Heritage
Against the backdrop of integrated cultural-tourism growth, overseas communication for China’s intangible cultural heritage (ICH) has moved past one-sided cultural output and leaned toward equal cross-cultural dialogue. This research integrates cross-cultural communication studies, narratology, and multilingual translation adaptation theories to study Shaoxing Yue Opera and Rice wine brewing techniques. A questionnaire survey with 193 overseas respondents whose native languages are English, Japanese, Spanish or Arabic was conducted to collect audience data. Statistical analysis proves that viewers with different native languages hold different preferences for ICH storytelling: English-speaking readers favor concise, fast-paced short-form narratives; Japanese participants gravitate toward slow, detail-rich immersive content; Spanish-speaking respondents prioritize live, participatory interactive narratives; while Arabic-speaking audiences tend to accept rigorous, history-focused origin narratives. Then, this study designs targeted, actionable storytelling schemes for the four language markets. The outcomes can serve both theoretical references and practical operational blueprints for local Chinese cities seeking multilingual overseas ICH promotion.
A Comparative Study on the Applicability of the Audiolingual Method and the Oral Approach in Online English Teaching
The English Curriculum Standards for Compulsory Education (2022 Edition) and the China English Proficiency Scale both emphasize that language teaching should align with learners' cognitive development and needs. However, traditional English teaching methods often lack diversity and fail to account for age-related differences, resulting in a significant gap between teaching outcomes and the standards. With the rapid development of online education platforms, flexible teaching models and diverse technological tools have offered new solutions to these issues. This study focuses on the online education context, using platforms such as Lixiao Coming and New Oriental as case examples to analyze the application of the Audiolingual Method and the Oral Approach in courses for children and adults. The research finds that online platforms for children predominantly employ the Audiolingual Method, incorporating high-frequency listening input, gamified speech imitation, and other designs that cater to children's visual thinking and interest-driven learning styles. In contrast, adult courses emphasize the Oral Approach, utilizing situational dialogues and task-based teaching to meet the practical and logical learning needs of adult learners. The study reveals the adaptation mechanisms between different teaching methods and learner groups, highlighting issues such as children's "mechanical imitation" and insufficient interaction in adult courses. It proposes a layered integration strategy to optimize teaching methods, offering recommendations for improving online English teaching strategies and bridging the gap between current teaching practices and curriculum standards.
Analysis of Short Video Platforms' International Communication Effect on City Branding: The Case of Chongqing on TikTok
In the context of the accelerating globalisation process, the international dissemination of urban images has become a subject of increasing importance. Short video platforms, notably TikTok, have emerged as a significant channel for the dissemination of city images, owing to their substantial user base and advanced communication capabilities.This paper investigates the city image communication strategy of Chongqing on the TikTok platform, employing the agenda-setting theory to analyse the communication channels and effects of Chongqing's city image. The study found that Chongqing's communication content on TikTok mainly focuses on landmark buildings, but there is still room for improvement in terms of communication depth and diversity.
On the Audiolingual Method in Foreign Language Teaching
The Audiolingual method gained widespread popularity in the field of English teaching during the 1950s. It prioritizes listening and speaking over reading and writing, utilizing dialogues as the primary instructional format and sentence patterns as the core training mechanism. However, due to inherent limitations and practical challenges, the method faced significant criticism from the 1960s onward, particularly with the emergence of new linguistic and psychological theories. Nevertheless, many of its principles and techniques remain pedagogically valuable today. This paper presents a critical review of the Audiolingual Method in foreign language teaching, aiming to reassess its theoretical foundations, analyze its pedagogical strengths and limitations, and explore its implications for contemporary language pedagogy. Adopting a literature review approach, the paper systematically examines the historical background, structuralist linguistic roots, and behaviorist learning theory underpinning the method, while critically evaluating its classroom applications. The analysis reveals that while the Audiolingual method effectively develops oral fluency and automatic language habits through repetitive drills and pattern practice, making it particularly suitable for beginners, it suffers from three critical drawbacks: neglect of learners’ subjective initiative, insufficient focus on linguistic meaning, and limited development of reading and writing skills. The paper concludes that despite its theoretical and practical deficiencies, the Audiolingual method retains pedagogical relevance. By redefining teacher roles, optimizing drill forms, and integrating it with other teaching approaches, its strengths can be strategically harnessed to meet diverse learning objectives, thereby contributing to more balanced and effective foreign language instruction.
From Reading to Viewing: Transmedia Narrative Transformations in the Micro-Drama Adaptation of Online Literature IP
The rapid growth of online micro-dramas has brought Chinese online literature intellectual property (IP) into a new phase of transmedia transformation and generated modes of content production that differ from conventional screen adaptation. Whereas long-form adaptations generally allow narrative expansion and fuller character development, micro-drama adaptations are designed for mobile distribution and must reorganize stories, translate verbal narration into audiovisual expression, and reconstruct characters within severe temporal limits. Using transmedia storytelling as its theoretical perspective and combining case analysis with textual analysis, this study examines the transition from textual reading to audiovisual viewing. It finds that micro-dramas adapt long-form narratives through plot compression, temporal-spatial folding, and anticipatory suspense; convert psychological description, setting, and affect into sensory configurations of shots, sound, performance, and space; and reorganize character relations into visually distinctive and readily communicable personas. These strategies increase narrative density and emotional accessibility, but may also produce structural convergence, concentrated affect, and functionalized characters. Micro-drama adaptation is therefore not simple abridgement, but a reconfiguration of narrative logic under the conditions of mobile media.
From “Dark Forest” to “Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”: A Study of National Image Narration in the Overseas Dissemination of The Three-Body Problem
Since the successful overseas publication of Liu Cixin's science fiction trilogy The Three-Body Problem, it has not only become a globally popular sensation but has also provided an important and unique window for the world to understand China. This paper adopts the Cultural Discourse Studies paradigm to examine how discourse "constructs" social reality, power relations, and cultural identification. It analyzes how the internal textual narrative and external discursive dissemination of the work collectively "tell" a complex, multifaceted contemporary Chinese national image distinct from Western perspectives. The paper reveals that the enormous overseas resonance of The Three-Body Problem stems from a journey of textual negotiation and contestation involving multiple discursive actors, including the author, translator, publishers, Chinese and foreign journalists, and global readers. Regarding specific discursive content, The Three-Body Problem engages in rich imagination concerning historical reflection, technological advancement, the "whole-nation system," and, most notably, international relations modeled on the "Dark Forest" theory. It offers philosophical speculations on China's future development and ultimately concludes its "Three-Body" journey with the existential puzzle of the "Dark Forest" facing all of humanity and the grand love and warmth of building a community with a shared future. Within the unique context of China's history and culture, and through encounters with cultures that interpret things differently, these narratives either generate strong "empathy" through certain universal "human" issues, or, because of the unique imagination of "Chinese-style modernization" itself, trigger new desires to understand China, thus giving rise to many new narratives about China. This paper explores how outstanding literary works can promote national image dissemination and hopes to provide beneficial artistic methods and communication models for the construction of Chinese discourse and narrative systems.
Construction and Practice of the Reading-to-Write Teaching Model for Senior High School English from the Perspective of Activity-based approach to English learning
New English Curriculum standards for Chinese Senior High Schools (2017 edition) proposes an activity-based approach to English learning perspective, providing core teaching guidance for the integrated reading and writing section of high school English. [1] In response to current prominent issues such as fragmented high school English reading and writing instruction, formalized activities, and shallow writing output, this paper uses the concept of activity-based approach to English learning as theoretical support to construct a reading-to-write teaching model characterized by theme-led, reading as support, progressive progression, and writing as output. Relying on three core activities—learning and comprehension, practical and application, and transfer and innovation—it bridges the intrinsic connection between reading input and writing output. Combining specific teaching cases from FLTRP High School English Selective Compulsory 3 Unit 1 Face Value teaching cases, practical investigations are conducted, the teaching implementation process is organized, teaching effectiveness and shortcomings are summarized, and targeted teaching optimization strategies are proposed. This thesis aims to optimize the teaching paradigm for high school English reading and writing, support the collaborative development of students' core competencies such as language ability and thinking quality, and provide practical suggestions and strategies for integrated reading and writing teaching in high school English.
Activity-based approach to English learning
Exploration into the Semantic Evolution of the Word "Zhong" in Henan Dialect and Chinese Traditional Thinking Patterns
"Zhong" is the most iconic core vocabulary in Henan dialect, serving multiple functions such as daily response, value judgment, and cultural symbol. This paper examines the usage of the character "Zhong" from oracle bone inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty to literature of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties from a diachronic perspective, verifies the origin and inheritance of its meanings of "possible, feasible, and appropriate", and combines the Central Plains elegant language and the linguistic history view of "one source, three capitals" to reveal the intrinsic connection between the Henan dialect "Zhong" and the Chinese "advocating the middle" and "harmony" thinking. The study finds that the dialect usage of "Zhong" is rooted in the core location of Central Plains culture, and its semantic evolution is highly isomorphic with China's traditional worldview, outlook on life, aesthetic, and ethical pursuits. It is a typical example of regional dialects carrying the genes of Chinese culture.
The Application of Advance Organizers in English Vocabulary Teaching at Secondary Schools
Rote memorization and weak application in senior high school English vocabulary teaching affect students’ core competencies. Based on Ausubel’s Cognitive Assimilation Theory and the 2022 English Curriculum Standards, this paper explores the use of Advance Organizers in vocabulary instruction. It analyzes the nature of vocabulary learning, defines the principles of Advance Organizers, and constructs a multi-dimensional strategy system including expository organizers, comparative organizers, and multimodal resources, supported by a teaching case. Results show that Advance Organizers effectively bridge prior knowledge with new vocabulary, optimize cognitive structure, and enhance learning efficiency. The study provides a practical reference for promoting meaningful vocabulary learning in senior high school.
Application of the Production-Oriented Approach in Junior High School English Reading and Writing Lessons
In an era of accelerating globalization, the importance of English as the main language of international communication has become increasingly prominent. The junior high school stage, as a crucial period for English learning, plays a vital role in developing students' comprehensive English skills. The ability to read and write English is not only an important tool for students to acquire knowledge and exchange ideas, but also an important indicator to measure their English proficiency. However, there are many problems in the current teaching of reading and writing in junior high school English, such as emphasizing reading over writing, separating reading and writing, and separating learning from application. Therefore, in response to the above problems, this paper uses the "output-oriented method" proposed by Professor Wen Qiufang's team and attempts to combine teaching practice with the teaching process of "drive - facilitate - evaluate" to explore its application in junior high school English reading and writing classes, with the aim of improving the effectiveness of reading and writing teaching.
Practice of Impromptu Interpretation in Sino-Thai Student Exchange Activities: Reflections from a TCFL Interpreter
Interpretation is a core skill for language major students, playing the role of a bridge to connect people in communication. In cross-language and cross-cultural activities, for a major in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (TCFL), college students should have basic language communication skills and the ability to do impromptu interpretation. This article is based on a cross-cultural activity between Chinese and Thai students held at Krirk University in Bangkok, Thailand. This article reviews on-site impromptu interpretation practice and summarizes the characteristics of impromptu interpretation, such as its immediacy, temporariness, and on-site nature. Interpreters use colloquial real-time translation and combine it with body language and other methods to complete communication tasks in real activities where there are a large number of participants and many unexpected situations occur. In this activity, I also participated and served as the sole interpreter for this activity, responsible for on-site interpretation work. This article analyzes the language ability and curriculum of the undergraduate students majoring in TCFL at this university and proposes effective improvement suggestions. This study takes the cross-cultural communication activities of Chinese undergraduate students majoring in TCFL at Krirk University (the only university in Thailand that offers the "TCFL Major" at the undergraduate level) and Thai first-year students majoring in non-business Chinese as research cases. It aims to fill the gap in research on impromptu interpretation by students of "non-interpreting majors" and "TCFL majors" in cross-cultural activities at Thai universities and provides empirical cases of professional interpretation in situ from the perspective of cross-cultural communication in the field of International Chinese Education. At the same time, it offers practical suggestions for optimizing the curriculum of the International Chinese Education Major at the undergraduate level of this university.
Copyright (c) 2026 by author(s) and Erytis Publishing Limited. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
A Comparative Study and Reflection on Module Design for Cultivating Cultural Awareness in Old and New Versions of Junior High School English Textbooks: A Case of Grade Seven Volume One
Based on the core competency framework specified in the English Curriculum Standards for Compulsory Education (2022 Edition), this paper makes a comparative analysis of the design differences in modules for cultivating students’ cultural awareness between the 2012 and 2024 editions of Grade Seven Volume One of PEP Junior High School English textbook. The study reveals that the new textbook achieves remarkable improvements in objective orientation, content selection, presentation modes, activity design and assessment guidance. It shifts its focus from knowledge memorization to competence-oriented learning and from overemphasis on foreign cultures to a balanced combination of indigenous and international cultures, attaching greater importance to the in-depth integration of language and culture as well as the development of students’ intercultural communicative competence. This research offers theoretical references and practical implications for textbook revision and classroom instruction.
Headdress Imagery and Sacred Order: An Iconological Study of the Iconographic System of Chaoyuan Tu in Yongle Palace
The Chaoyuan Tu in the Sanqing Hall of Yongle Palace is one of the largest extant Daoist murals in China and one of the works of the highest artistic value. Taking the headdress imagery in Chaoyuan Tu as its point of departure, this paper combines iconological methods with an archaeological perspective to systematically explore the mechanisms through which its iconographic system is constructed. The study argues that the headdresses in Chaoyuan Tu are not independent decorative elements, but rather a core symbolic system for constructing the hierarchical order of the Daoist pantheon. By analyzing the formal features, ornamental composition, and use of color in four major types of headdresses—mian crowns, phoenix crowns, jinxian crowns, and floral crowns—this paper reveals the interaction between headdress imagery and the human system of ceremonial dress, as well as the Daoist aesthetic thought and concepts of hierarchy embedded within it. It further extends from headdresses to the overall costume system, line language, color system, and compositional layout, thereby constructing a complete iconological interpretive framework for Chaoyuan Tu. The study shows that the iconographic system of Chaoyuan Tu not only inherits the excellent traditions of Tang and Song mural art, but also achieves creative transformation within the cultural context of the Yuan dynasty, embodying the Daoist aesthetic pursuit of “the unity of Heaven and humanity.”
A Comparative Study on the English Translation of The Sight of Father’s Back from the Perspective of Human-Machine Translation
Zhu Ziqing’s The Sight of Father’s Back is a classic work of modern Chinese lyrical prose. With plain and delicate language and implicit profound emotions, it boasts both literary aesthetic value and traditional cultural connotations. This paper takes Zhang Peiji’s human translation(HT), alongside machine translations produced by DeepL(NMT) and DeepSeek(LLM) as research objects. It conducts a comparative analysis of the differences, strengths and limitations of human and machine translation in the translation of literary prose across four dimensions: lexical richness, sentence structure, emotional expression and cultural value transmission. The study finds that machine translation possesses practical advantages such as semantic accuracy, standard grammar, translation efficiency and regular sentence structure, and is capable of meeting basic information transmission needs. However, it has obvious shortcomings in terms of literary aesthetics, empathy for implicit emotions, and the in-depth interpretation of cultural connotations. Human translation, relying on literary perception, emotional empathy and cultural interpretation, can better restore the lyrical characteristics and cultural essence of lyrical prose. Based on the findings, this paper puts forward corresponding implications for prose translation practice, human‑machine collaborative translation models, machine translation optimization, and the communication of Chinese culture, so as to provide references for the English translation practice of Chinese lyrical prose and the overseas communication of Chinese culture.
Stranding and Returning to the Sea: The Postcolonial Ecological Allegory of the “Whale” Imagery in The Whale Rider
Witi Ihimaera’s The Whale Rider is a classic work of contemporary Māori literature. Through the mysterious connection between Kahu, a girl excluded by traditional succession rules, and the whales, the novel explores the possibilities of colonial trauma, cultural rupture, and cross-species coexistence. Drawing on postcolonial ecocriticism, cross-species narrative, and trauma theory, this paper analyzes the triple connotations of whale imagery in the novel: the mythic whale, the stranded whale, and the redemptive whale. Together, these three dimensions form a complete allegorical trajectory from rupture to crisis to rebirth, revealing how The Whale Rider responds to colonial history through literary imagination and offering insights into the construction of a multispecies ecological ethics and cultural healing in the postcolonial era.
Translation of Core Cultural Terminology for Chinese Enterprises Going Global from the Perspective of Skopos Theory: A Case Study of Huawei
With the acceleration of globalization and the rapid development of social technology, the translation of core corporate cultural terminology has become a key factor influencing the effectiveness of cross-cultural corporate communication. Terminology carries corporate values, and its accurate transmission directly affects overseas cultural identification with the company and the international construction of its brand image. However, in the practice of enterprises going global, differences exist in the strategic choices and presentation effects of translating cultural terminology, making this a topic worthy of investigation. This paper adopts Skopos Theory as its theoretical framework, takes Huawei as a case study, and obtains research materials from Huawei's official website. It primarily analyzes the translation strategies of Huawei's core cultural terminology by examining the terms presented in official Huawei documents. The study finds that Huawei adopts differentiated strategies based on the functional positioning of different terms. This diversified strategy reflects the principles of Skopos Theory while also revealing potential conflicts between fidelity to the original meaning and ease of acceptance for the target audience. The case analyses in this paper can provide practical references for the translation of core cultural terminology for other Chinese enterprises going global.
A Study on the Issues and Solutions in Translating Terminology Related to Ecological Civilization with Chinese Characteristics
Terminology related to China’s ecological civilization embodies the wisdom of China’s ecological governance, and the quality of its translation directly impacts the international dissemination of China’s ecological civilization concepts as well as cooperation and exchange in global ecological governance. This paper analyzes the primary issues currently encountered in the translation of terms related to China’s ecological civilization, including conceptual mistranslations, loss of meaning, the coexistence of multiple translations, and inconsistent formatting. It proposes corresponding solutions to these issues by focusing on two areas: enhancing translator competence and developing institutional platforms. The aim is to improve the accuracy and standardization of translations for terms related to China’s ecological civilization, thereby facilitating the dissemination of China’s ecological civilization concepts and governance solutions overseas.
Research on the Applications and Challenges of AI in Translating Shakespearean Drama
Taking Zhu Shenghao’s Chinese translation of Timon of Athens as the reference text, this paper investigates the performance and limitations of artificial intelligence in the translation of Shakespearean literature. The study selects translations generated by OpenAI’s ChatGPT and DeepSeek as research corpora. Through close reading and comparative textual analysis, the paper systematically compares AI-generated translations with human translations from the perspectives of lexical choice, syntactic processing, rhetorical reproduction, and emotional expression. The findings suggest that AI performs relatively well in semantic comprehension and information transmission, producing translations that are generally clear and standardized. However, it still shows deficiencies in rendering poetic language, ironic tone, and complex character emotions. Compared with Zhu Shenghao’s version, AI translations tend to exhibit a strong explicitation tendency, weakening the linguistic tension and ambiguity of the original text. This paper argues that artificial intelligence is more suitable as an auxiliary tool in Shakespearean literary translation, and that its effective application depends heavily on the literary judgment and aesthetic intervention of human translators. Human–AI collaboration may therefore become an important direction for future literary translation practice.