A Study of the Influence of Field, Habitus and Capital on Lin Shu’s Translation from the Perspective of Bourdieu’s Sociology

Abstract

Lin Shu, a pivotal translator during the late-Qing “the eastward spread of Western learning”, produced translations that not only responded to the enlightenment needs of national salvation, but also opened up new possibilities for modern Chinese literary translation. Faced with the long-standing academic controversies surrounding his translations, this paper introduces the theoretical framework of “field, capital, habitus” by French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, aiming to reinterpret Lin Shu’s translation practice from a sociological perspective. The study argues that Lin Shu’s translations are not merely isolated linguistic transfers, but the result of the dynamic interplay among his personal capital, habitus and the external social structure within the specific historical field of the late Qing Dynasty. By investigating the historical context of national salvation, the cultural demands of contemporary readers, as well as Lin Shu’s profound classical Chinese literacy and scholar-official identity, this paper systematically explores how field, capital and habitus collectively governed his selection of source texts, target language and translation strategies, thereby uncovering the underlying socio-historical logic of his translational activities.