With the appearance of literature, rhetoric has the meaning of "vividly speaking" or "writing skills". Later, it refers to “study of ancient critics to the principle of writing” and “skills in using language vividly”. Gradually, the definition of rhetoric is no longer just the art of speech. Rhetoric has been a kind of term with extensive meaning and practice. It includes the structure of the work, writing style, words selected, rhythm, intonation and all the elements in writing and speaking. Now, the rhetoric means "the skill in smoothly combining the words", or simply means "writing skills". After frequent use some rhetoric methods has a relatively fixed form, they become rhetoric, which means unconventional expression forms with fixed format designed to pursue the special language effect, such as metaphor, simile, personification, allusion and so on. 

The same meaning is expressed in different ways, and the effect is very different. Speaking is a kind of art, has its own rules. The so-called "rhetoric", refers to this kind of language using art and its law about improving the effect of language expression. Rhetoric is to adjust the internal and external relations of the article, so that the expression of thoughts and feelings and reflection of the objective things and the situation can be appropriate. 

2.1.2 Relationship between Rhetoric and Translation 

Translation theory is a highly specialized subject of linguistics. It studies the comparison rules of the two languages, including comparison of rhetorical devices. Any kind of translation depends on the comparison of the two languages (Rudolf Flesch, 1963). The comparison between English and Chinese is the core of translation theory, because theories, methods and techniques of translation between English and Chinese are based on comparison of the similarities and differences between English and Chinese. Because of the similarities, it can be translated and for the differences, there come the different methods and skills (陈定安, 1998). Both English and Chinese rhetoric are the performance of language, not only follow the rules of grammar, but also is not influenced by the constraints and limitations of syntax. Rhetoric language can express meaning better than conventional language and is more vivid.

Both English and Chinese have rich rhetorical devices, but the specific ways of using rhetoric are different, which is restricted by their traditional culture and the necessity of rhetoric. For example, there is phonological rhetoric in both English and Chinese language, but because of the distinction of phonology between the two languages, the way and arrangement mode of showing the rhetoric are different. 

The translation should be faithful to the meaning of the original text, and can express the beauty of the words. A simple translation of the literal meaning will lose the original style, meaning and the author's inspiration. The translation of rhetorical sentences should be creative, but that not to say the rhetoric needs to be rendered word by word or with the same structure or arrangement as the original text. English and Chinese languages have their own characteristics. Therefore, the translation of rhetorical devices is a challenge to the translator's wisdom, which is a kind of recreation. There are no fixed and applicable rules for the translation of rhetorical devices, but some principles can also be used for reference. 

First, a good translation is based on practical and thorough understanding of the source text. The same word and sentence appear in different articles, or expressed by different tone or mood, may have completely different meaning or expression effect, especially in the application of the rhetorical devices. Therefore, a good translation requires the translators to have a better, loyal and deep understanding of the original text, which ensure the correctness of the translation. In Chinese, it is the first step of translation-Xin.