【Abstract】Translation criticism helps translators find out the merits and demerits of different translation versions which facilitate their reflection on the nature of translation as a practice. In this essay， the writer will compare two English versions of Li Qingzhao's Sheng Sheng Man. By analyzing the two versions， it aims to shed light on what translation as a practice is about.
　　【Key wrods】
　　I. Introduction
　　In recent years， translation criticism has been attached more and more importance to. And Peter Newmark puts in his book A Text book of Translation：
　　Translation criticism is an essential component， because it painlessly improves your competence as a translator； secondly， because it expands your knowledge and understanding of your own and foreign language， as well as perhaps of the topic； thirdly， because， in presenting you with options， it will help you to sort out your ideas about translation. （1988：184）
　　This essay is to comment on two English versions of an excerpt from Sheng Sheng Man with functional equivalence and the skopos theory. By comparing the English versions translated respectively by Lin Yutang and Xu Yuanchong， it aims to deepen readers' understanding of Sheng Sheng Man and reflect on the nature of translation as a practice.
　　II. Literature Review
　　A. Introduction to Li Qingzhao
　　Li Qingzhao， a remarkable female poet in the Song dynasty， was recognized as a personage of the Euphemistic School in Chinese poetry. Her works are characterized by a depth of meaning and a graceful style of natural simplicity. She beheld that Ci poetry should be elegant and set great store by the rhythm of Ci poetry.
　　B. Introduction to Sheng Sheng Man
　　As one of the most acknowledged Ci poetry by Li Qingzhao， Sheng Sheng Man expressed her grief over the miserable fate of her country and herself by describing what she saw， heard and felt in a sad late autumn.
　　The most striking features of this Ci poetry is the usage of reiterative locution. The tonal patterns of the alternate level and oblique tones， lingual words and words pronounced with dental sounds set the sad tone for this Ci poetry.
　　The reiterative locution of 14 characters at the beginning describes the inner world of a lady who is looking for something even unknown to her. With a rise in tone， the first four characters“寻寻觅觅” unfolds a lady who is wandering alone. These four characters also arouse readers to wonder what it is that she is searching for. And through the fall in tone in “冷冷清清”， the four characters depict the dismal environment and her sorrow. While with changes from level to oblique and then level in tone， the six words “凄凄慘惨戚戚”display her deepest sorrow concealed in her heart when finding nothing.