Exploration of Translation Skills for Ceramic Culture under Skopos Theory

Against the backdrop of deepening globalization, the international dissemination of traditional Chinese culture has gained broader space. As a characteristic element of China, porcelain enjoys a great reputation at home and abroad, and it is a cultural treasure of China and even the world [1]. Chinese porcelain is not only a highly skilled handicraft but also a cultural carrier embodying historical memory, craftsmanship wisdom, and aesthetic philosophy. It has also attracted the research interest of some foreign scholars. For example, scholars like Kerr and Rose have elaborately introduced China’s ceramic technology in their works [2]. In addition, some foreign scholars have systematically and comprehensively presented the development process of Chinese ceramics from the Paleolithic Age to the Qing Dynasty [3]. Guided by the Skopos Theory of the German functional school, this paper analyzes the lexical and cultural characteristics of ceramic terminology and explores translation skills in ceramic translation, such as cultural equivalence, characteristic description, literal translation with annotation, transliteration with annotation, material association concretization, and precise color characterization. It aims to realize how translation purposes guide the transmission path of cultural connotations, form a learnable theoretical framework and practical guidelines, and achieve effective cultural transmission and protection.