Language and translation policies in China’s multilingual governance: A study of the early and mid-Qing dynasty

Translation policy plays a pivotal role in the governance of a multilingual state. Regrettably, within the academic discussions on multilingualism and language policy, the significance of translation has often been marginalized. Translation, particularly within institutional frameworks, is a powerful instrument of governance. This article aims to investigate how translation was strategically employed in China in the governance of the multiethnic and multilingual early and mid-Qing dynasty. In order to do so, we first conducted a diachronic and comparative analysis to trace the evolution of tongwen as a language management policy throughout imperial China’s history, utilizing Spolsky’s conception of language policy. Subsequently, following González Núñez’s interpretation of translation policy, we explored the translation policies that were put in place to achieve the objectives set by the language policy. The findings reveal that translation policy played multifaceted roles in the early and mid-Qing governance. Notably, it served as a means to safeguard the ethnic identities and interests of the Manchus, a conduit for emperors to acquire governance knowledge, a method for establishing the legitimacy and legality of Manchu rule in China, an integral component of the Qing administrative apparatus, and a mechanism for promoting linguistic equality among various ethnic languages.