Abstract: Minford has made outstanding contributions to the English translation of Chinese cultural classics. Throughout his long career of translation and cultural dissemination, he has developed a distinctive translation thought. Based on a comprehensive study of his translation career, academic works, public lectures and interviews, this article explores his translation thought, which can be summarized in four aspects: translation nature, translation method, translation value, and translator cultivation. Regarding his view on translation nature, he sees translation as a cross-cultural practice rooted in equality and mutual appreciation; in terms of translation method, he embraces the motto of “translation without fixed rules”; regarding translation value, he sees translation as a noble cause which enhances cultural communication and mutual learning between civilizations; regarding translator cultivation, he argues that a translator’s growth relies on the inherited traditions of cultural translation, and is closely linked with their personal traits as well as their own cultural and historical context.