Abstract: The brief and abstract language of Tao Te Ching produces very obvious inadequacy of meaning expression or semantic deficiencies, of which the inadequate expression of the meaning of numerals is the most obvious. Through analyzing of the translation of Tao Te Ching by Gu Zhengkun, the author finds great cultural differences between Chinese and Western countries in the use of numbers:in addition to the actual meanings,the Chinese numerals have more extended cultural meanings than numbers in Western languages. Such differences place great obstacles for translators and foreign readers to understand the original meaning of numerals in Chinese works. Therefore, the translators must have a good command of bilingual cultural knowledge besides linguistic competence.

Key words: cultural translation theory, Tao Te Ching, translation version by Gu Zhengkun, translation of numerals, cultural facsimile