A Study on Escort Interpreting Strategies at Buddhist Sites from the Perspective of Interpretive Theory: A Case Analysis of Baoguang Temple

Abstract

With the growing popularity of cultural tourism, escort interpreting at religious attractions has become an important medium for intercultural communication. Buddhist sites, in particular, present significant challenges to interpreters due to culturally loaded terms, religious concepts, and historical narratives. Drawing upon recorded data from a six-hour escort interpreting task at Baoguang Temple, a prominent Buddhist heritage site in Chengdu, China, this study examines how interpreting strategies are employed to ensure accurate and effective communication for foreign visitors. Guided by Interpretive Theory, the study analyzes recorded interpreting data and focuses on methods such as omission, explanation, and liberal translation in response to difficulties arising from Buddhist terminology, ancient Chinese couplets, and local historical stories. From the perspectives of comprehension, de-verbalization, and re-expression, selected interpreting cases are examined to illustrate how meaning-oriented strategies contribute to communicative effectiveness in dynamic on-site settings. The findings suggest that prioritizing meaning over linguistic form enables interpreters to better mediate complex cultural and religious content. This study aims to provide practical insights for escort interpreting at Buddhist attractions and contribute to research on interpreting strategies in cultural tourism contexts.