Chinese calligraphy is a concentrated embodiment of Chinese culture, with dual attributes of art and culture. It was listed as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2009. Since the 19th century, calligraphy art has gradually gained attention from the West. The English translation of calligraphy terminology is crucial for international dissemination, but there are currently translation challenges such as a lack of corresponding English or omission of cultural connotations. Eugene Nida pointed out that cultural background misunderstandings in translation are the main reason for low communication efficiency. This article explores the challenges of cultural factors in the translation of Chinese calligraphy terminology, including the influence of historical, social, and ethical factors on the English translation of calligraphy fonts, styles, tools, and masterpieces.

1. Historical factors

The English translation of Chinese calligraphy terminology faces many challenges, as calligraphy is not only an art form, but also carries profound cultural and historical significance. Seal script, clerical script, regular script, running script, and cursive script, among other calligraphy fonts, each reflect the evolution of Chinese calligraphy and the cultural characteristics of a specific era. The English translations of seal script, such as big seal and lesser seal, fail to accurately convey its historical evolution and subtle differences. Lishu is often misunderstood in English as "the characters used in official documents," but in reality, it has a richer connotation in Chinese calligraphy. The English translation of regular script fails to convey its profound cultural significance as a writing standard. The English translations of running script and cursive script, although reflecting some features, fail to fully express their unique aesthetic and writing characteristics. The translation strategies for calligraphy terminology include literal translation, transliteration, or combining images, but they all have certain limitations and cannot fully convey the cultural and historical connotations of the original terminology.

2 Social factors

The English translation of Chinese calligraphy terminology needs to consider historical and socio-cultural factors, as terminology is closely related to the social environment of a specific era, and there are significant differences between literal meaning and actual connotation. The calligraphy styles vary greatly in different periods, such as the combination of calligraphy and artistic images in the Han and Tang dynasties, and the diverse styles of the Tang dynasty. When translating, use image annotation strategy to visually explain the meaning and style differences of terms. The content of calligraphy works is closely related to the social background, such as the "Three Great Running Books in the World". The Preface to Lanting Collection reflects the contemplation on the relationship between humans and nature during the turbulent period of the Jin Dynasty; The "Sacrifice to Nephew Manuscript" expresses Yan Zhenqing's grief for her relatives; The Cold Food Tie depicts Su Shi's emotional changes during his exile. When translating, it is necessary to consider the background of the work creation, the emotions of the calligrapher, the social environment, and cultural differences, in order to capture the true connotation of the calligraphy work.

3 Ethical Factors

The English translation of Chinese calligraphy terminology needs to consider the ethical values in Chinese philosophy, including Confucianism's benevolence, righteousness, propriety, Taoism's natural conformity, and Buddhism's self-cultivation. When translating, translators often overlook these ethical factors, such as simply translating "brush" as "brush" or "maobi", failing to convey its cultural connotations. The brush tube of a Chinese brush symbolizes righteousness, and the pen tip embodies the idea of "harmony". The grip of the pen tip during writing affects the thickness of the font, reflecting the Chinese saying "the way of using a brush is the way of being a person". Kaishu symbolizes moral norms and gentlemanly qualities in Chinese culture, and its ethical message should be conveyed when translating. Chinese calligraphy aesthetics pursue truth, goodness, and beauty. Translation not only requires language conversion, but also the reconstruction of Chinese calligraphy culture, using a combination of graphics and text to help Western readers understand.

4 Suggestions

The importance of translating Chinese calligraphy terminology into English was emphasized, and three translation principles were proposed to promote cultural exchange. The principle of uniqueness advocates preserving the Eastern characteristics of calligraphy terminology, such as using "Chinese maobi" and "Chinese shufa". The cultural principle requires accurate communication of the cultural connotations of the original work, aided by annotations or images for understanding. The principle of conciseness suggests using language that is easy to understand, such as translating 'particularly unusual' to cater to different audiences.

5 Conclusion

This paper explores the cultural factors in the English translation of Chinese calligraphy terminology, emphasizes the influence of cultural differences between the East and the West on translation, and proposes principles and strategies that should be followed in translation, such as uniqueness, cultural specificity, and conciseness. It also combines traditional translation strategies and innovative methods, aiming to maintain the information and cultural connotations of the original work while enhancing the international dissemination of Chinese culture.