Abstract:
The Chinese civilization of the rule of law has a long history, and the legal thoughts and knowledge refined in different historical dynasties are recorded in numerous literary masterpieces, awaiting to be explored and elucidated. The translation of Chinese legal literature, related to the re-construction of the image of rule of law in China, is of great significance with some prominent problems remaining to be clarified and pathways to be unraveled. On the basis of existing achievements in adapting Western Law & Literature Movement (1970s) to the Chinese context and the conclusions in connecting literary creation and image construction, the presenter will clarify the connotation and categorization of Chinese legal literature, discuss the merits and demerits of the translation of legal literature compared with the translation of legal codes and classics written by Chinese ancient standardizers, and elaborate on the potential pathways for the re-construction of the image of rule of law in China through the translation of Chinese legal literature in the new era.

Key words: translation of Chinese legal literature; rule of law in China; image re-construction; problem; pathway

Biography:

Junfeng Zhao holds a PhD in forensic linguistics, being a PhD supervisor, professor and director of Centre for Translation Studies, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS). Professor Zhao is currently vice chairman of China National Committee for Graduate Education in Translation and Interpreting (GETI), vice director of Legal Translation Committee of Translator’s Association of China (TAC). He was the former Secretary General of China National Committee for Graduate Education in Translation and Interpreting from 2016 to 2021, and from 2014 to 2018 he was the dean of the School of Interpreting and Translation Studies (SITS), GDUFS. He has published extensively in translation and interpreting studies, especially in legal translation and court interpreting domains.