u/hafuded

Hello fellow Daoists, Salps here (one of the translators of Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques).

I wanted to kick off a broader discussion on something every translator runs into: how to handle Chinese-specific idioms, idioms with cultural allusions (chengyu), and figurative phrasing.

The trickiest lines often aren't single terms: they're compact four-character idioms that pack a massive cultural/historical punch into just a few characters. As a translator, I find myself constantly having to choose between preserving the original imagery or translating the core meaning for immediate impact.

Take the classic example of describing overwhelming force using "the weight of Mount Tai" (泰山压顶 / tài shān yā dǐng):

• Go literal: "like Mount Tai bearing down on him" (preserves the original flavor, relies on context and footnote for the reader to understand).
• Translate the meaning: "an immense, crushing pressure" (drops the cultural reference, but the emotional weight lands instantly).
• Middle ground: "a pressure as heavy as a mountain" (keeps the general imagery, but strips out the specific proper noun).

The same dilemma pops up with larger historical or mythological allusions, like "力拔山兮" (lì bá shān xī / strength to uproot mountains). Should I keep the literal phrasing and let readers absorb the flavor over time, swap in an equivalent Western idiom, or just paraphrase the sentiment?

It is always a trade-off between cultural immersion and seamless readability, and I suspect preferences vary depending on how long someone has been reading the genre.

I would love to know where you stand as a reader:

• Do you prefer a novel to keep the literal imagery (even if it takes a moment to click), or would you rather have the direct meaning so the scene hits without interruption?
• Does your preference change based on how common the reference is?
• Are there any specific examples where a translation choice worked brilliantly (or totally fell flat)?

Curious to hear your thoughts!