A Contrastive Analysis Of Translated Chapter Titles Of Hongloumeng

Chapter titles of Hongloumeng not only convey the narrative function but also contain high value of aesthetic quality. By analyzing the aesthetic information reflected in the translated chapter titles, it is possible to assess the aesthetic value of the complete translated novel.The Translation Aesthetics theory lays the theoretical foundation of the study with a working framework for the analysis of aesthetic quality in the form and non-form systems. The Yangs’ and Hawkes’ translated versions are contrastively analyzed according to the detailed classification of aesthetic quality in the form and non-form systems. The study aims to explore the aesthetic quality differently reflected in the two translated versions and to discuss the factors that may impact the aesthetic translation of chapter titles of Hongloumeng.The study finds that the Yangs’ version mainly adopts the strategy of foreignization and method of literal translation in reflecting aesthetic quality in the chapter titles, while Hawkes’ version adopts the strategy of domestication and method of free translation. Furthermore, factors that may impact the aesthetic translation of chapter titles of Hongloumeng involve the untranslatability of chapter titles of Hongloumeng, the cultural differences and translation strategies adopted by different translators. The study verifies the explanatory power of the Translation Aesthetics theory on the aesthetic translation of chapter titles of Hongloumeng. The theory can be further applied to the aesthetic translation studies on the full-length translated Hongloumeng, as well as other classical Chinese literary works in the future.