Paragraph Division Devices in English Translations of Chinese Classics: A Case Study of “Fu”

Research on cohesion and coherence typically focuses on the levels of word, clause and sentence, often neglecting paragraph-level cohesion. In English translations of Chinese texts, particularly Chinese classics, there is considerable variation in paragraph division across different versions. The issues of paragraph division, as well as paragraph-level cohesion and coherence, merit further study. This paper, based on different translations of over 400 “Fu”, identifies six common paragraph division devices and examines their improper use and the resulting impact on paragraph-level cohesion and coherence. The study reveals that, while sentences play a crucial role in English, paragraphs hold greater significance in Chinese. Therefore, in English translations of Chinese classics, careful attention to paragraph division is essential for ensuring translation quality.