Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.2, 2025 

I. A. Richards’ CrossCultural Interpretation Methods and Practices: Focusing on Mencius on the Mind

(Abstract)

Liu Jiahui

In the process of translating and interpreting Mencius, British literary theorist I. A. Richards proposed and applied a series of cross-cultural interpretation methods. Key aspects of his approach include exploring definitions through four distinct meanings of language, warning against the imposition of Western logical mechanisms on the interpretation of Mencius, stressing the speaker’s intent, and experimentally utilizing definitions and logical tools. This approach reflects a respect for different cultures, whose primary theoretical foundation is I. A. Richards’ semantic theory. His cross-cultural interpretation methods and practices provide an important frame of reference for tackling translation and cross-cultural issues in today’s context.