TITLE:
Exploring a Field-Based Cultural Community Translation Model through Grounded Theory: A Study on Cross-Cultural Communication Effectiveness at Xi’an Datang Everbright City
AUTHORS:
Xianrong Qiao, Wanying Lin
KEYWORDS:
Field Theory, Cross-Cultural Communication, Grounded Theory, Cultural Tourism Translation Model, Cultural Community
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Modern Linguistics,
Vol.16 No.5,
October
28,
2026
ABSTRACT: Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s field theory as a macro-level framework, this study takes Xi’an Datang Everbright City—a prototypical cultural tourism site—as an empirical case. Using grounded theory, we conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 20 overseas audiences (15 international students and 5 tourists) and performed three rounds of coding—open, axial, and selective—to systematically construct the Field Cultural Community Translation Model (FCCM). The findings reveal that effective cross-cultural translation is not an isolated act of textual conversion but a dynamic practice system comprising four core categories: cultural capital translation, habitus adaptation, field rule coordination, and symbolic power balance. The model posits that translational effectiveness depends on the translator’s deep grasp of the target field’s cultural logic and the cultural reproduction achieved through “cultural empathy” and “meaning negotiation.” Existing research has largely remained at the level of linguistic transfer, lacking systematic explanations of cultural power relations and audience reception mechanisms in translational practice. This study offers a new analytical framework for building a cross-cultural communication translation theory with Chinese characteristics and provides actionable optimization pathways for cultural tourism translation.