Abstract: The article based on the historical evidence and Yan Fu's practice on translating terms, draws upon the translated works and letters of Yan Fu, through an elaborate analysis of his motives, attitude, criteria and strategies of translation, to elucidate his views and practice on term translation. The author holds that strenuous efforts have been paid in Yan Fu's rectifying and standardizing the issue of translating terms, also in line with his translation criteria “Xin, Da, Ya”. However, due to the dual constraints of complex linguistic nationalism and socio political factors, his translation also showed limitation. Yan Fu's views on translating terms can be taken as a mirror to the cultural traveling phenomenon in the course of introducing western terms to China as well as the disparities of discourse strategies adopted by the intellects in their efforts to save the nation from subjugation and ensure its survival.

Key words: Yan Fu, views on translating terms, practice on translating terms, enlightenment