Abstract: Patronage plays an important role in the construction of the canonical identity of the translated text. In the light of the relative theories of the Cultural School of Translation Studies, the paper examines the manipulation of the patronage in the construction of the canonical identity of the Yi People's Narrative Poem Ashima, and it is found that the features of the manipulation of the patronage are different in the different phrases and the patronage of government with a clear political intent, plays the decisive role in the canonization of the poem. The production and circulation of the translated versions of the poem are constrained by the patronage and the translation activities of the poem under the patronage of government is effective. The poem, with the aid of translating by the manipulation of patronage, is canonized.

Key words: translating, patronage, narrative poem Ashima, canonization