This study is part of the project which is aimed to explore the change(s) in the text-centred translation activity and the client-centred translation service of the translation market 1949-2007 in mainland China. To facilitate the comparison, I have divided the period into two sub-periods. The dividing line is 1978, the year of reform and political opening-up, which has brought about drastic changes in the social and cultural life of the Chinese. I have chosen the 1950s and 1990s to represent the period 1949-1978 and the period 1979-2007 respectively.