On the Translation Thought of John Minford

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.