The Interpretation of Postcolonialism: Gains and Losses in the Construction of Chinese Discourse in the “Third Space” of the English Translation of From the Soil—The Foundations of Chinese Society

Abstract

The wave of postcolonialism has provided a unique perspective for the cultural turn in translation studies. In the postcolonial context, translation is no longer a mere activity of semantic conversion but a battleground for power relations. Against the backdrop of the current strategy to promote Chinese culture globally, it is imperative to implement effective strategies to ensure that Chinese discourse can be effectively constructed and strengthened in interactions with dominant cultures. The “third space” created through the interaction of different cultures serves as the best arena for translators to deconstruct cultural hegemony and construct cultural discourse. This paper focuses on the English translation of Fei Xiaotong’s classic work From the Soil—The Foundations of Chinese Society—The Foundations of Chinese Society, using postcolonial “third space” theory, explores the gains and losses in constructing Chinese discourse within the translation. The study points out that through methods such as multiple translations of a single term, transliteration with paraphrasing, the construction of China English, and annotation, the translator achieved certain successes in constructing Chinese discourse. However, problems also exist, including inappropriate omissions, factual errors, and incorrect emotional connotations of certain terms, which led to some deviations in the transmission of Chinese discourse in the target culture. This paper aims to provide a reference for constructing Chinese discourse in a postcolonial context and to enhance the influence of Chinese culture in the global stage.