In 1813, a German classical linguist Schleiermacher put forward two ideas in On different methods of translation: One is to let the author remain and lead readers to approach the author; and the other is to let the author become close to the readers while the readers remain. Eugene A. Nida, an American linguist and translator can be regarded as a supporter of domestication theory. He holds that: ‘Translating consists in reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivaent of the source-language message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style’ (Eugene A. Nida, 1969:178-179) Nida’s founcational equvalence is very important in mediating the dispute between domestication and foreignization. Peter Newmark presented a new conception of ‘semantic translation” and ‘commucative translation’ in Approaches to Translation which produced a great effect. The definition of domestication and foreignization was first proposed by Lawrence Venuti in 1995. He is actually the supporter of foreignization. He thinks that the west foreignization theory is based on the value of ethnocentrism and cultural imperialist. It is necessary to adopt foreignization strategy to defend the resistance to foreign culture because of cultural narcissism. Besides, Israeli linguist Even-Zohar established the polysestem theory which expounded domestication and foreignization from the aspect of sociology. He believes the choice of those two strategies is decided by specific situation and position. There are four main schools in Modern European and America concerning translating theory: The Prague, The London, American Structuralism and the communicative theory. China’s rapid development also asks more ways of intercultural communication. So the traditional translating strategies cannot meet the demond anymore. Chinese translators begin a heated discussion on domestication and foreignization.

      Guo Jianzhong concludes that no matter how it develops, domestication and foreignization will always exist at the same time with analysis of the two versions of the Chinese classic story A Dream of Red Mansion in Cultural Elements in Translation in 1998. Sun Zhili believes that although there are points of primary and secondary between domestication and foreignization, but there is no high or low. He claims that if it is acceptable, we should try more foreignization, but if it is hard to use foreignization, domestication could be the next-best thing. Dai Youfeng and Jin Ling regard the source language as the goal of translation in Methods to Deal with the Culture Factor in Translation in 2005. Recently, more and more Chinese translators think the foreignization strategy can gain the upper hand.