Study on Three English (Re)translations of Sanguo yanyi

This study critically examines the Retranslation Hypothesis (RH), which prioritizes "closeness" to the source text, through textual and paratextual analysis of three English (re)translations (1925, 1991, 2014) of Sanguo yanyi (Three Kingdoms). Contextualizing each version within its sociohistorical milieu-including societal ideologies, translator backgrounds, and reader feedback-it investigates translational manipulations. The findings posit that (re)translations supplement one another, sustaining the source text's relevance across evolving cultural contexts and readerships. Consequently, the study challenges RH and proposes a supplementarity paradigm that values interpretive multiplicity and acknowledges the dynamic source-target text interplay. This paradigm highlights (re)translation's transformative role in extending cultural narratives beyond original boundaries.