Translating the "Ideal of Beautiful Governance" in Li Sao: A Comparative Analysis of Xu Yuanchong's and Stephen Owen's Versions Through Cultural Translation and Deconstructionism

Existing research on English translations of Li Sao predominantly focuses on single-version analyses, while comparative studies of multiple translations and systematic investigations into cross-cultural translation strategies remain relatively scarce. With the advancement of Chinas Going Global cultural strategy, the cross-cultural dissemination of Chinese classics has become a focal point in academic circles. Li Sao, as the origin of Chinese Romantic literature and a core carrier of Confucian Poetic Education, its translation involves the international interpretation and reception of traditional Chinese cultural values. This paper examines the English translations of Li Sao by Xu Yuanchong and Stephen Owen from the theoretical perspectives of cultural translation and deconstructionism, systematically comparing their translation strategies and cultural stances regarding the "Ideal of Beautiful Governance." Through close textual reading and case studies, it finds that Xu Yuanchong adopts domestication strategies to enhance cultural readability, emphasizing emotional resonance and moral edification, whereas Stephen Owen employs foreignization strategies to preserve textual heterogeneity, highlighting poetic aesthetics and open-ended interpretation. The translation practices of both translators reflect distinct pathways of "cultural output" and "cross-cultural dialogue," offering methodological insights for the global dissemination of Chinese classics.