Tianlin Chong*, Yadong Gou
School of Foreign Languages, Lanzhou City University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China.
*Corresponding author: Tianlin Chong
Abstract
Dunhuang culture, as an integral component of Chinese civilization, holds significant importance in promoting the international dissemination of Chinese culture through accurate translation of its official title terminology. This study aims to systematically analyze the English translation strategies of official title terms in Dunhuang culture using the “three-dimensional transformation” theory of eco-translatology. Guided by the “three-dimensional transformation” theory of eco-translatology, this study selects 50 typical official title terms from Dunhuang Culture in Translation: A Series (bilingual edition) as research subjects, employing case analysis methodology to explore their English translation strategies systematically. Based on ontological considerations of translation philosophy, the research categorizes official title terms into three types according to their degree of cultural equivalence: complete equivalence, partial equivalence, and complete vacancy. The study conducts an in-depth analysis of translation strategies for each category from three dimensions: linguistic, cultural, and communicative. The research findings reveal that translators employ literal translation, free translation, transliteration, and their combinations as strategies. In the linguistic dimension, they ensure accuracy and clarity of translations; in the cultural dimension, they achieve effective transmission of cultural connotations; and in the communicative dimension, they enhance the acceptability of translations. This study provides systematic theoretical guidance for the translation of Dunhuang cultural terminology, enriches the application of eco-translatology in cultural text translation, and offers empirical support for constructing an ecological paradigm for Chinese cultural terminology translation.
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How to cite this paper
Translation Strategies for Official Title Terms in Dunhuang Culture from the Perspective of Eco-translatology
How to cite this paper: Tianlin Chong, Yadong Gou. (2025) Translation Strategies for Official Title Terms in Dunhuang Culture from the Perspective of Eco-translatology. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, 9(7), 1371-1381.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2025.07.020