Embedded Translation Tasks as a Vehicle of Curriculum-based Ideological and Political Education: A Case Study of an Outline of Chinese Culture

This study investigates how translation can serve as a vehicle of curriculum-based ideological and political education (IPE) in An Outline of Chinese Culture, a compulsory course for English majors at a provincial university in China. Although not a translation course, translation activities were embedded as reflective tasks requiring students to compare textbook renderings, propose alternatives, and consider their cultural and ideological implications.Adopting a qualitative case study design, data were collected from 16 classroom observations, student translation tasks, and 10 semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis identified three key functions of translation in this context: (1) enhancing linguistic competence through refinement of vocabulary, register, and style; (2) mediating ideological reflection by linking translation choices to cultural values and national narratives; and (3) fostering cultural confidence by enabling students to articulate Chinese concepts in English with authenticity.The findings demonstrate that translation can enrich cultural and ideological learning without turning a culture course into a translation class. The study contributes empirical evidence to research on curriculum-based IPE and offers practical implications for foreign language pedagogy, showing that translation tasks can effectively integrate language, culture, and values.