Strategies for Reconstructing Cultural Images in the English Translation of Jin Gui Yao Lue from a Thick Translation Perspective

Abstract

As traditional Chinese culture gains global prominence, translating TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) classics like Jin Gui Yao Lue into English is crucial for their international spread, yet complex cultural images and metaphors hinder accurate transmission of meanings. This paper examines Luo Xiwen’s translation via thick translation, focusing on cultural image strategies to aid TCM dissemination and cross-cultural understanding. Thick translation originates from Appiah and has been developed by Hermans; it embeds source texts in rich linguistic and cultural contexts via annotations, footnotes and commentaries to bridge cultural-linguistic gaps. This study targets Luo Xiwen’s English translation of Jin Gui Yao Lue, takes its excerpts with cultural images as data, and adopts literature review to synthesize thick translation theory and case study to examine Luo’s strategies. As a pioneer in TCM thick translation, Luo effectively reconstructs cultural imagery using annotations and contextual elaborations, bridging Sino-Western medical-cultural divides. The research offers translators methods for cultural reconstruction, guides educators in cross-cultural TCM teaching, and aids medical practitioners in international communication, boosting TCM’s global spread.