magazinelogo

Translation and Foreign Language Learning

ISSN Online: 3069-0315 ISSN Print: 3070-3077 CODEN:
Frequency: monthly Email: tfll@hillpublish.com
Total View: 163896 Downloads: 34212 Citations: 0 (From Dimensions)
ArticleInterdisciplinary Studies of Translation http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/tfll.2025.08.022

Exploring the Global Historical Approach to Regional Translation History: A Proposal for Guangdong Translation History in the Late Qing Dynasty

Rongliang Niu

School of Foreign Languages, Zhanjiang University of Science and Technology, Zhanjiang 524000, Guangdong, China.

*Corresponding author: Rongliang Niu

Supported by Guangdong Province Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning 2025 Youth Project “A Study of Guangdong Translators in the Late Qing Dynasty and ROC” (Approval NO.: GD25YWY09).
Published: September 26,2025

Abstract

In the late Qing Dynasty, Guangdong was the earliest place in China to experience the baptism of western civilization, with a glorious history of translation and a multitude of famous translators. The translation history of Guangdong in the late Qing Dynasty is not only a regional translation history, but also a microcosm of “western learning spreading to the east” from the global perspective. On the basis of briefly describing the Guangdong translation history in the late Qing Dynasty, this paper introduces a global historical perspective with the aim of proposing a conceptual framework for researching Guangdong translation history in the late Qing Dynasty. It is found that writing a regional translation history requires both knowledge archaeology and regional historical methods, more importantly, a global historical approach is conducive to forming a comprehensive and pro-found understanding of translation history and the interaction between regional translation history and global history.

Keywords

Global Historical Approach; Regional Translation History; Guangdong Translation History

References

Feng, Z. (2011). A history of translation in modern China (Late Qing Dynasty Volume). Jiuzhou Press.

Gao, M., & He, A. (2018). An investigation into translators’ geographical distribution and the reasons: From late Ming Dynasty to late Qing Dynasty. Chinese Science & Technology Translators Journal, 2, 59-62.

Han, H., & He, A. (2024). Spatiotemporal perspective on Shandong translator geography. Shanghai Journal of Translators, 6, 86-90.

He, A., & Hou, Y. (2023). The ideological underpinning of Liang Qichao’s thought on strengthening the nation via translation. Chinese Translators Journal, 1, 53-60.

He, A., & Yu, L. (2022). The discursive denotation and ideological system of Geo-translation studies. Journal of Jiangnan University (Humanities & Social Sciences), 5, 102-107.

Huang, Y. (2022). Studies on translation history. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

Jia, H. (2018). Types and research methodology of translation history. Foreign Language and Literature, 2, 108-113.

Lan, H., & Huang, H. (2023). Exploring the multi-dimensional relevance of translation: A global historical approach to translation history. Translation Studies, 1, 57-66.

Li, W. (2005). A history of translation in modern China. Qilu Press.

Li, W. (2024). The composition and features of translators in Lingnan translation zone from the perspective of Geo-translation studies [Master’s thesis, Ocean University of China].

Munday, J. (2016). Introducing translation studies: Theories and applications (4th ed.). Routledge.

Niu, R., & Xu, M. (2023). Regional translators from the perspective of Geo-translation studies: A case study of Zhuhai translators in modern China. Translation Research and Teaching, 1, 80-85.

Niu, R., & Xu, M. (2025). Spatial distribution of Guangdong translators in the late Qing Dynasty and ROC: A Geo-translation studies perspective. Translating China, 3, 70-80.

Pym, A. (1998). Method in translation history. St. Jerome Publishing.

Roig-Sanz, D. (2022). Global translation history: Some theoretical and methodological insights. Translation in Society, 2, 131-156.

Si, J. (2002). From “linguists” to “official translators”: On the transformation between active and passive roles in the history of language contact between China and Western countries. Fudan Journal (Social Sciences), 3, 44-50.

Tang, X. (2023). Lin Zexu’s translations and national identity. Journal of Shijiazhuang Tiedao University (Social Science Edition), 3, 39-43, 49.

Wang, J. (2023). Vision, perspective, and method: Three approaches to research global local history. Fujian Tribune, 11, 123-133.

Yang, F. (2021). The manifesto of transknowletology. Contemporary Foreign Studies, 5(2), 27.

Ye, A. (2014). A forgotten group of early Chinese translators. Chinese Translators Journal, 1, 43-48.

Yuan, L. (2019). Research of translation history against the panorama of global history studies. Shanghai Journal of Translators, 4, 66-70.

Zhang, X., & Zhang, D. (2023). Knowledge archaeology and regional translation history studies: A proposal for Guangxi translation chronicles (20th century volume). Shanghai Journal of Translators, 5, 42-47.

How to cite this paper

Exploring the Global Historical Approach to Regional Translation History: A Proposal for Guangdong Translation History in the Late Qing Dynasty

How to cite this paper: Rongliang Niu. (2025). Exploring the Global Historical Approach to Regional Translation History: A Proposal for Guangdong Translation History in the Late Qing Dynasty. Translation and Foreign Language Learning1(1), 138-143.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/tfll.2025.08.022