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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Translating Imagery Metaphors in Li Sao: An Embodied-Cognitive Translatology Approach
ZHOU Shi-xiang, ZHU Tian-yuan
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DOI:10.17265/2159-5836/2025.01.005
Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China
This paper examines the translation of imagery metaphors in Qu Yuan’s Li Sao using an Embodied-Cognitive Translatology (ECT) approach. It investigates how the poem’s intricate metaphors, such as orchid (lan), pepper and cassia (jiao and jun’gui), and crescent eyebrows (emei), are translated into English while maintaining their cultural, emotional, and philosophical depth. The study explores the challenges translators face when rendering these culturally specific metaphors, and it identifies strategies such as literal translation, adaptation, substitution, and paraphrasing used by translators to preserve the metaphors’ essence. Drawing on the principles of ECT, the paper examines how metaphors function not just as linguistic elements but as cognitive symbols embedded in cultural contexts, reflecting the translator’s cognitive processes. The research highlights the importance of aligning the translation process with the cognitive and emotional resonance of the original text, thus ensuring the metaphor’s full meaning is conveyed. This paper also discusses the broader implications of translating metaphors from ancient Chinese literature, offering insights into the complexities of cross-cultural translation. It concludes with suggestions for future research in translating classical Chinese works, focusing on improving the preservation of metaphorical and cultural integrity.
Li Sao, metaphor translation, Embodied-Cognitive Translatology, cultural specificity, cognitive linguistics, literary translation
Journal of Literature and Art Studies, January 2025, Vol. 15, No. 1, 26-35
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