This article is based on domestication and foreignization translation strategies and it selects two English translation versions of the address forms in A Dream of Red Mansions to analyze the strategies used by the two translators.

As a result, it can be conclude that Yang’s translation faithfully bases on the original novel, so the translation strategy used mainly is foreignization translation strategy while David Hawkes usually adopts the domesticating translation strategy. However, while translating, they find that the strategy they preferred respectively is not always the best. As a result, they have to apply the other translation strategy. So we can say that foreignization and domestication can be applied flexibly in literary translation, they supplement and complement each other. Of course, there is no winning or losing between the two versions. Both are first-rate translations of A Dream of Red Mansions. Why they are different from each other lies in their own understanding of this novel and their background culture.

2. Literature Review 

In this part, the author firstly introduces briefly A Dream of Red Mansions and two English translation versions of this novel. Then it touches on domestication and foreignization strategies. Finally, it reviews the related studies and explains the significance of the present study.

2.1 Brief Introduction of A Dream of Red Mansions 源`自,优尔`.论"文'网[www.youerw.com

 A Dream of Red Mansions is one of the most famous novels of Chinese literature. It tells us a long story about love and the development of a big family. Since it was released, it has been read by many people. Moreover, it has become a popular and classical television series. Many actresses are famous for the television series.

2.2 Two Translation Versions of A Dream of Red Mansions

Among the English translation versions, what are mostly circulated and highly praised are Yang Xianyi and his wife Gladys Yang’s version and David Hawkes and his son-in-law’s one. Yang once said A Dream of Red Mansions is a piece of work of authority. Therefore, he thought that when translating it, translator should make the translation be accurate and try his best not to change the original novel. What’s more, translator shouldn’t explain too much, or else, translation isn’t translation any more. Only by doing like this can translator show the original Chinese Culture to the western readers. As a result, he mainly used the foreingnizing translation strategy. While David Hawkes said that the translation that he done was according to Wang Shichang and Zhao Gang’s explanation of A Dream of Red Mansions. Besides, the translation purpose of him was that A Dream of Red Mansions can become popular among the western readers. In order to make the western readers feel more natural when reading the novel, Hawkes used the domesticating strategy.