Abstract Cultural image is a kind of cultural symbol with unique yet wide, deep cultural content. Due to cultural differences, defaulting and misplacing cultural images always puts translators in dilemma. As the most distinguished classic novel, A Dream of Red Mansions is a literature masterpiece as well as a cultural encyclopedia. English, being a universal language, ETCC (English Translation of Chinese Classics) appears to be of extra significance. However, as Chinese-English translation is still on a “practical” basis, in ETCC, it is not rare that certain cultural image gets lost or misunderstood due to mismanagement of uses of translation strategies. 42182

The generally accepted image translation strategies include image retention and notes, image addition and image replacement. In this thesis, the author will compare the translation strategies used in Chapter 5 of two English-translated versions of A Dream of Red Mansions, translated by Yang Hsien-yi and Gladys Yang, as well as the version by David Hawks. By doing so, the author wants to reach to a conclusion about how to better use these three strategies while translating cultural images. 

In the end, by conducting said research and analysis, the author comes to a conclusion that in ETCC, there is no “best” ways of translation, it is relative to the translation objective.

Key Words: ETCC     cultural translation     images     A Dream of Red Mansions

摘要文化意象是一种有着一些独特又深层次的文化内涵的文化符号。由于文化差异，对于文化意象的误读易使译者陷入两难。作为中国古典小说的代表，《红楼梦》不仅是一部文学巨著，更是中国古典文化的一本百科全书。英语作为国际通用语言，中国典籍英译显得尤为重要。但是，因为目前汉英翻译仍然处于初级阶段，在典籍英译中，因为翻译策略选择的失误而导致文化意象缺失或错误翻译的情况并不少见。

常见的意象翻译策略:保留注释,增添和替换.在不同语境下的使用能使意象翻译增色不少。在本篇论文中，作者将通过对于《红楼梦》的两大英译本（杨宪益夫妇译本和霍克斯译本）的翻译策略对比——尤其是第五回中“金陵十二钗判词”——以总结该如何在文化意象翻译中更好地使用意象翻译的策略。

通过本次研究和分析，作者发现，在典籍英译中，没有所谓“最佳”方案。因翻译目标不同，采取不同的翻译策略会达到不一样的翻译效果。

关键词：典籍英译     文化翻译     意象     《红楼梦》

 Contents

Abstract i

摘  要 ii

Contents iii

Chapter One Introduction 1

1.1 General Description of the Research 1

1.2 The Significance of the Present Research 2

1.3 The Overall Structure of the Thesis 3

Chapter Two Literature Review 4

2.1 A Brief Introduction to Cultural Translation 4

2.1.1 The Theory of Cultural Translation 4

2.1.2 Cultural Images in Chinese Literatures 5

2.2 English Translation of Chinese Classics 5

2.2.1 The definition and significance of ETCC 5

2.2.2 Current researches of ETCC 6

2.2.3 Domestication and Foreignization