Intersecting language and society: a prototypical study of Cinderella story translations in China

Cinderella stories are globally popular, and in China, their inclusion in textbooks since 2004 has made Huiguniang a household name. This study examines over 3000 Chinese adaptations of the Cinderella narrative, focusing on three key translations (from French, German, and an adapted German version in a textbook) and the ancient Chinese tale *Ye Xian*. The research questions are: 1) What are the diachronic changes in the Chinese Cinderella story's prototypical features? 2) How do the canonized and earlier versions compare? 3) What is Huiguniang's canonization trajectory? The study utilizes the ATU classification to identify and analyze prototypical features across versions, investigating how these features have shifted over time and contributed to Huiguniang's canonical status in China.

Cinderella-themed stories exist worldwide, with origins traced to ancient Greece, Europe (e.g., *Le Fresne*, *Čiklemfusa*), and Asia (*Ye Xian*). In China, the Cinderella narrative's journey can be divided into three stages: 1) *Ye Xian* in the Tang Dynasty; 2) early 20th-century translations from French and German; and 3) canonization in textbooks from 2004. Early translations, such as Sun Yuxiu's (1913) from Perrault and Wei Yixin's (1934) from Grimm, introduced the story to China. The canonization in 2004 marked a significant shift, providing the story with authoritative recognition and shaping its cultural impact. The study discusses the concept of canonization in translation studies, considering the influence of factors like literary quality, social-cultural context, and translation choices on a work's acceptance and enduring popularity. Different perspectives on canonization—essentialist (emphasizing aesthetic qualities) and constructivist (emphasizing cultural politics)—are considered.

The study uses a dataset of four texts: *Ye Xian*, Sun's 1913 translation, Wei's 1934 translation, and the 2004 textbook version. The ATU classification system is employed to identify five prototypical features of Cinderella stories: The Persecuted Heroine, Magic Help, Meeting the Prince, Proof of Identity, and Marriage with the Prince. Each story is broken down into sentences, and the frequency of each prototypical feature is analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The prototype theory is applied to understand the relationships between the conceptual core and other features, examining both synchronic (comparing features within versions) and diachronic (comparing changes in features across versions) changes. Correlation analysis examines the relationships between different versions' prototypical feature distributions, and co-occurrence analysis investigates the semantic prosody and legitimization of the name Huiguniang.

The synchronic comparison shows "Magic Help" as the most salient feature across all versions. However, the diachronic analysis reveals significant shifts. The canonized version shows an increase in positive features ("Meeting the Prince," "Proof of Identity," "Marriage with the Prince") and a decrease in negative ones ("The Persecuted Heroine," "Magic Help"). While Sun's and Duan's versions are highly correlated, the canonized version is not significantly correlated with earlier versions. The analysis of "The Persecuted Heroine" reveals a shift in emphasis towards the heroine's hardship (staying in ashes, wearing rough clothes), but this is ultimately overshadowed by the positive outcome of her marriage. The name Huiguniang, initially potentially carrying negative connotations, is shown to have lost these negative aspects through the canonization process, becoming a positive symbol.

The findings indicate external stability (the consistent presence of prototypical features) and internal dynamic trade-offs (shifts in the prominence of different features) in the canonization process. The study proposes that the canonization of Huiguniang in China is characterized by an iterative process, with each translation building upon and modifying previous versions. The translations by Wei and the Editorial Board particularly highlight the shift of prototypical features. Wei's translation, for example, added a tragic ending to the stepsisters which was not in the original text, emphasizing the contrast between the stepsisters and Cinderella. This highlights the active role of translation in shaping the cultural reception of the Cinderella story. The study suggests that the canonization process is influenced by both textual elements and socio-cultural contexts.

The study demonstrates the complex interplay of cultural factors, translation choices, and literary evolution in the canonization of Huiguniang. It emphasizes the importance of considering external stability, internal dynamic trade-offs, and the iterative nature of translation in shaping cultural reception and canon formation. Future research could investigate oral traditions, non-literary genres, and the potential decanonization of the current textbook version.

The study focuses solely on written texts, neglecting the potentially influential oral traditions of Cinderella stories in China. The analysis is limited to children's literature and may not generalize to other genres. The study is based on a specific set of translations and may not fully represent the vast range of adaptations available. Future research should investigate these areas.