Translation as the Gaze

“This bold and original monograph reconceptualizes intercultural exchange as a gaze and reimagines it through that lens, illuminating translation’s doubleness and epistemological fluidity. It delivers a rigorous interdisciplinary intervention, carving out an underexplored perspective that decisively broadens translation studies beyond entrenched textual paradigms.”

Yifeng Sun, Chair Professor, University of Macau, China

“A path-breaking study that conceptualizes translation as a metaphorical gaze, this monograph exposes the layered perceptions, misrecognitions, and imaginative projections that have long governed Sino-Western relations. Its analytical acuity and interdisciplinary ambition mark a significant advance in thinking about translation as a structuring force of modernity.”

You Wu, Professor, East China Normal University, China

“Via the theoretically informed approach of “translation as gaze,” Qilin Cao’s monograph showcases deep analytical engagements with a diverse range of cultural materials concerning Sino-Western encounters in the so-called “Century of Humiliation.” It is a must-read for scholars and students interested in exploring translation as a mode of cultural production.”

Flair Donglai Shi, Assocaite Professor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China

“This provocative, theoretically rich work redefines translation through the lens of the gaze, illuminating the dynamic, often ambivalent Sino-Western encounter with remarkable insight. It bridges disciplinary divides and offers a bold new framework for understanding translation’s far-reaching cultural and epistemological power. It will surely provide an inspiring reading experience for translation studies scholars and cross-cultural thinkers alike.”

Ruoze Huang, Associate Professor, Xiamen University, China

Qilin Cao is an assistant professor in the School of Foreign Studies at Tongji University, Shanghai, China. His research interests include translation studies, comparative literature, and object studies. One of his recent projects is to reconsider modern China through the perspective of objects. His articles can be found in journals such as positions: asia critique, Modern Asian Studies, the International Journal of Asian Studies, Neohelicon, Orbis Litterarum, and the Journal of Translation Studies.