Self-orientalization and Its Counteraction against the Cultural Purpose of Gu Hongming in His Discourses and Sayings of Confucius

Abstract

Gu Hongming endowed his Discourses and Sayings of Confucius, the translation of Confucius’ Lun Yu, with a mission of improving the image of Chinese culture. In order to achieve the purpose, the translator summoned a strategy of extreme domestication, fully catering to English language grids and Western value system. However, it is just the adaptation of such a strategy that makes the translation strongly self-orientalized, which clears up the intended purpose of the translation, depriving it of the power of achieving its intended cultural mission.