This paper explores the Jesuit translation of "martyr" into Chinese as 殉道 (xundao). Rejecting phonetic borrowing, the missionaries opted for a term from the Confucian lexicon, meaning "vanish along with one's principles" This choice, however, entailed a significant semantic shift: the classical Chinese term 殉 carried connotations of ritual "following-in-death" and loyal sacrifice, but was fundamentally witness-less, omitting the essential element of martyrion (witness). Through a close analysis of the term's pre-Christian usage (e.g., Mengzi Jin Xin I. 42) and the Jesuits' translational rationale, this presentation highlights translation as a site of negotiation.