A Corpus-based Study on English Versions of CH' I MIN YAO SHU from the Perspective of Hermeneutics
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: A Preliminary Survey of the Book CH' I MIN YAO SHU is an abridged English translation of the original work. It is not only an important achievement in the translation of Chinese agricultural classics but also an early attempt by Chinese scholars to introduce traditional Chinese agricultural technology to the international academic community. This study, drawing on relevant historical references and employing corpus analysis software to compare Shi Shenghan's translation with the DeepSeek machine-translated version, and combining the historical and cultural context of the time, thoroughly examines the background, translation strategies, and international impact of the English translation of it. The research reveals that the translator, based on a deep understanding of the cultural core of the original text, creatively employed strategies of selective translation and content compilation. Through narrative reconstruction and information integration, he maintained the narrative logic of the original work while also catering to the receptivity of the target language readers, successfully achieving the cross-linguistic transmission of agricultural knowledge and cultural connotations. This paper not only expands the application of hermeneutics theory in the study of classical translation but also highlights the academic field of ancient agricultural book translation, which urgently needs to be deepened. It provides a reference paradigm for the construction of a Chinese-characteristic translation system for agricultural classics.
Authors: Yiyi Guo, Ruiyun Zeng
Institution: Guilin University of Electronic Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4410900353