TITLE:
Translation Principles and Strategies for Bronze Wares: A Case Study of Siyang Fangzun
AUTHORS:
Huihui Liu
KEYWORDS:
Bronze Ware, Siyang Fangzun, Translation Principles, Translation Strategies
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.13 No.5,
May
26,
2026
ABSTRACT: As an important heritage of ancient Chinese culture, the translation of bronze ware names involves not only the accuracy of linguistic conversion but also the transmission and understanding of cultural information. Taking the Siyang Fangzun as a single case study, this paper, based on an analysis of its historical background, formal features, technical features and cultural connotations, proposes four principles for translating bronze ware names: accuracy, cultural transmission, intelligibility, and aesthetic quality. Through a comparative analysis of ten English versions from different sources, the strengths and weaknesses of these translations in terms of cultural conveyance and linguistic expression are revealed. Furthermore, the paper distinguishes two levels of translation—the formal name of the artifact and the explanatory museum text—and advocates the integrated use of cultural equivalence, functional equivalence and integration of foreignization and domestication strategies. The paper shows that a stratified translation approach helps improve the international communication of bronze ware names and provides a methodological reference for the translation of similar cultural heritage items.