Li Qianqian

Shan Hai Jing (The Classic of Mountains and Seas), a cornerstone of Chinese literature renowned for its rich cultural imagery and fantastical mythological elements, has captivated Russian sinologists since the mid-20th century. The first complete Russian translation was published in 1977, with a revised edition following in 2004. Utilizing Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice, this article explores the key actors involved in the Russian translation of Shan Hai Jing — translator E.M. Yanshina, project initiator Professor L.D. Pozdneyeva, and the publishing houses responsible for its dissemination — and analyzes how their respective forms of capital and habitus collectively influenced the creation and circulation of the translated work. The study underscores that translation is a multifaceted endeavor embedded within broader social practices, where the dynamic interplay of individual capital, social habitus, and structural forces plays a pivotal and often underappreciated role.