Translation of the cultural images in the analects

The Analects of Confucius is the representative work of Confucianism. Covering a wide scope of subjects from politics, philosophy, literature and art to education and moral cultivation, The Analects of Confucius has a tremendous influence on Chinese and Western thought and values. This paper attempts to explore how the cultural value of Confucianism is transmitted to western countries through a comparative analysis of the translation of the key images in two English versions translated by James Legge and Ku Hungming respectively. In the process of comparison, the paper focuses on the discussion of the diversities of the images in the two versions, the reasons behind the translation strategy and the important role the translator plays in the translation. The paper concludes with a consideration of how translation creates possibilities for cultural assimilation, resistance and transformation.