The Art of Translation: Methods to Deal with the Cultural Connotations of Monster Names in the Xiyouji

Abstract

Xiyouji, one of the four famous works in China and the first romantic long mythological novel by Wu Chengen, contains a large number of monster names that embody numerous Chinese cultures like Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Therefore, it is impossible to avoid dealing with these cultural factors when translating these monsters’ names. How translators deal with these monsters’ names that are loaded with Chinese culture becomes a question we cannot neglect. This article briefly explores the double meaning of some monster names in Xiyouji and examines the translation methods used in the English version of the canon by Antony Yu. The present study holds the philosophy of translation that any translating experiment is advisable in dealing with the names if their appropriate cultural connotations can be made clear.