A Comparative Study of AI Translation and Human Translation from the Perspective of Reception Theory: Taking Poem Qiangjinjiu as an Example

Haoying Wang

doi:10.54254/2753-7064/2025.HT28542

Communications in Humanities ResearchOpen access

A Comparative Study of AI Translation and Human Translation from the Perspective of Reception Theory: Taking Poem Qiangjinjiu as an Example

Research Article

Open Access

A Comparative Study of AI Translation and Human Translation from the Perspective of Reception Theory: Taking Poem Qiangjinjiu as an Example

Haoying Wang ^1*

¹ Xi’an International University

^*Corresponding author: 220171160015@post.edu.cn

Published on 28 October 2025

CHR Vol.93

ISSN (Print): 2753-7072

ISSN (Online): 2753-7064

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-483-0

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-484-7

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Abstract

With the development of artificial intelligence (AI), its application in literary translation has become more widespread, raising new possibilities and challenges for translating classical Chinese poetry. Against this backdrop, Qiangjinjiu is examined as one of the representative works of classical Chinese poetry, while relevant research from the perspective of Reception Theory remains scarce. Drawing on this theory, this paper compares AI and human translation of Qiangjinjiu from language, culture, and emotion. Findings show that although AI translation has advantages in terms of the information storage and translation output efficiency of poetry, it has significant deficiencies in conveying the imagery connotations, cultural metaphors, and rhythmic beauty of ancient poetry. Human translation, though less efficient, allows for deeper interpretation and more faithful restoration of the poem’s emotional and aesthetic depth, thereby better realizing its literary value. Based on this, this article believes that AI translation cannot completely replace human translation. In the future, it is necessary to promote the deep integration and coordinated development of the two, using AI to improve translation efficiency and human translation to optimize translation quality, ultimately facilitating the international dissemination and overseas inheritance of ancient poetry. The comparative study in this article can provide more powerful theoretical support for future research in the field of poetry translation, and at the same time guide translators to create poetry translations from the perspective of readers and take into greater consideration the degree of acceptance by readers.

Keywords:

AI translation, human translation, Reception Theory, Qiangjinjiu, classical Chinese poetry

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References

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References

[2]. Liu, X.J. (2025) A Comparative Study of the English Translation of the Poem "Inviting Wine" from the Perspective of Deconstruction Translation. Language and Culture Studies, 33(05), 191-194.

[3]. Li, Y.L. (2024) Translation of Metaphors in Classical Chinese Poetry: A Cognitive Approach. International Journal of Translation and Interpretation Studies, 4(4), 1-6.

[6]. Liang, Y.P. (2025) Analysis of the Subtitle Translation of "Zootopia" from the Perspective of Reception Aesthetics. Overseas English, 12, 28-30.

[7]. Lu, Y.Y. (2024) Comparative Study of Machine Translation versus Human Translation. Lecture Notes on Language and Literature, 7(2) Retrieved from http: //dx.doi.org/10.23977/LANGL.2024.070211

Cite this article

Wang,H. (2025). A Comparative Study of AI Translation and Human Translation from the Perspective of Reception Theory: Taking Poem Qiangjinjiu as an Example. Communications in Humanities Research,93,13-21.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceeding of ICIHCS 2025 Symposium: The Dialogue Between Tradition and Innovation in Language Learning

ISBN: 978-1-80590-483-0(Print) / 978-1-80590-484-7(Online)

Editor: Enrique Mallen, Heidi Gregory-Mina

Conference website: https://2025.icihcs.org/

Conference date: 17 November 2025

Series: Communications in Humanities Research

Volume number: Vol.93

ISSN: 2753-7064(Print) / 2753-7072(Online)

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