Comparing Translator's Subjectivity in Self-translation and Conventional Translation of Eileen Chang's Works—Taking Guihuazheng Ahxiao Beiqiu as an Example

In the era of "translating China", this paper conducts a comparative study on translator's subjectivity in Eileen Chang's self-translation and the conventional translation of her short story Guihuazheng Ahxiao Beiqiu. Focusing on three dimensions—agency, passivity and purposefulness—the study explores how the two translators manifest their subjectivity. The findings show that Chang, as an "author-translator", enjoys greater freedom and favors "translation as the author" whereas Patton, as a coventional translator, remains more faithful to the source text with restrained translator subjectivity, conveying its core meaning.