Aesthetic progression in literary translation into English

Abstract This article analyses the aesthetic evolution of the work 酒国 Jiuguo by Chinese author Mo Yang in the process of translating the work into English. The article employs Mo Yan's 酒国 Jiuguo and its English translation by Howard Goldblatt to analyse aesthetic transformation in literary translation. A comparative analysis identifies disparities in aesthetic elements and linguistic strategies, emphasising the translator's role in preserving or modifying the original aesthetics. The translator effectively conveys metaphors and symbols, such as ‘tea’ or the ‘wedding scene’, enabling English-speaking readers to maintain associations with Chinese culture. Preserving the depth of the original's cultural context may be less effective when translating colour and emotional nuances. This study may be useful for researchers in the field of linguistics, in particular for further research in the field of literary translation.