This chapter establishes the theoretical framework by adopting a descriptive approach to literary translation as a socially and culturally situated practice. It positions the research within Descriptive Translation Studies while incorporating polysystem theory, Bourdieu's sociology of cultural production, and cultural approaches to translation. The chapter traces the "cultural turn" and "sociological turn" in Translation Studies, examining key concepts including the literary field, cultural capital, habitus, agency, rewriting, and translation norms. It demonstrates how translators operate as social agents within structures of power and prestige, establishing a comprehensive theoretical foundation that enables multi-layered analysis of literary translation at both macro and micro levels in Macao's context.