"Killing A Landscape" Or "Being A Wet Blanket"?

"Killing a landscape" is a typical phrase rich in Chinese cultural flavor which Dr. Lin Yutang used in his masterpiece Moment in Peking. An English equivalent might be "being a wet blanket". For the sake of faithful conveyance of the original messages, as well as bridging the cultural gap between the Chinese language and the English language, this thesis makes an objective study of the subject of literal translation in C-E translation and focuses on the analysis of some of the cultural and linguistic characteristics of the language of Moment in Peking with a view to reaching the tentative conclusion that literal translation is indispensable to C-E translation in terms of preserving the national and cultural features of the Chinese language and should always win top priority in translation practices. This study aims at enriching the specific field of literal translation in C-E translation" touching upon cultural issues, as well as providing the translators and those who are committed to or interested in cultural exchange between the Chinese culture and the western culture with new insights into the understanding of different cultures in translation practices.