In the 1980s, many literary works reflecting the theme of the “Cultural Revolution” appeared, and “scar literature” and “reflection literature” became the mainstream of the Chinese literary world. At the same time, many Chinese people living overseas also started to have a literary creation about this theme. Most of them write in English and then translate into Chinese for publication. They have been widely praised. However, under the influence of many factors, these Chinese translation works have maintained the original in terms of character presentation and emotional expression. This article selects the Chinese version of Life and Death in Shanghai (translated by Cheng Naishan and Pan Zuojun) as the research object, and focuses on the analysis of the main character's image and emotional expression. The differences from the translation then explain the reasons for these differences from the external environment and the translator himself.

Xu Jiajia. A Study on the Chinese Version of Life and Death in Shanghai from the Perspective of Manipulation Theory. Frontiers in Educational Research (2020) Vol. 3 Issue 7: 7-12. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2020.030703.

[1] Cheng Naishan & Pan Zuojun (1988). Life and Death in Shanghai. Hangzhou: Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House
[2] Cheng Naishan (2011). Recalling a generation of ladies, Ms. Zheng Nian [Z]. Retrieved on April 25th, 2014 from
[3] Guimei He (2010). “New Enlightenment” Knowledge Archives-Chinese Cultural Studies in the 1980s. Beijing: Peking University Press.
[4] Li Bing (2014). Chinese Translation of Overseas Cultural Revolution Literature Manipulated-A Case Study of Cheng Naishan and Pan Zuojun's Translation of “Life and Death in Shanghai”. Beijing: Beijing Foreign Studies University.
[5] Wei Jiahai (2004). A Comprehensive View of Manipulation School. Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, no.3, pp.29-32.
[6] Bassnett, S (2007). The Meek or the Mighty: reappraising the Role of the Translator. In Alvarez, R., & Vital, M. Carmen-Africa. (Ed,). Translation, Power, Subversion. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
[7] Cheng N (1987). Life and Death in Shanghai. New York: Grove Press.
[8] Dukate, A (2009). Translation, Manipulation and Interpreting. Frankfurt: Peter Lang GmbH.
[9] Hershater, G (1989). Book Review of Like and Death in Shanghai. The American Historical Review, vol.94, no.3, pp.830-831.
[10] Lefevere, A (2001). Translation Practice(s) and the Circulation of Cultural Capital: Some Aeneids in English. In Bassnett, S., Lefevere, A (Eds.), Constructing Cultures: Essays in Literary Translation. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
[11] Lin, K. N (2007). Translation as a Catalyst for Social Changes in China. In Tymoczko, M., & Gentzler, E. (Ed,). Translation and Power (pp. 160-183). Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
[12] Wright, E (1987). Book Review of Life and Death in Shanghai. The China Quarterly, no.111, pp.496-497.