First set of books published with aim of 'interpreting China' for a foreign audience in new era

Photo: Courtesy of Foreign Languages Press

The first batch of books under the "Interpreting China" Book Project were launched on Friday, introducing translation standards and books on translation theory and practice, appreciating translations of classics, and stories of messengers of Chinese culture.

The project is launched by Foreign Languages Press, aiming to present the best of Chinese civilization to international readers to help them understand the country in the new era.

The first batch is comprised of five books, including one about the standards and norms of translating China's political text, an appreciation of different translations of China's 14th-century historical novel "Romance of Three Kingdoms," and a book of the stories of cultural messengers and their life in China.

"There are currently 8 billion people in the world. Except the 1.4 billion Chinese people, the 6.6 billion people around the world are probably not able to understand Chinese characters for a long time to come," Huang Youyi, former vice president and editor-in-chief of the CICG, noted on Friday's event.

Therefore, "excellent translated works are indispensable in telling Chinese stories to foreign readers, and in that way we can promote exchanges between China and the rest of the world and build a global community of shared future," Huang noted.

Among the books, Foreign Languages Press particularly recommended the "Requirements on Translating Chinese Political Text into English," which is the first ever comprehensive norm being introduced on translating from Chinese into foreign languages.

This book clarifies the principles and strategies of translating Chinese political text into English, provides standard translations of core Chinese political concepts and expressions brought forward in the new era, provides general principles on the translation of proper names, and offers a basic style guide on publishing translated books into English. It aims to help promote the translation quality of Chinese political text, enhance its international influence, and facilitate foreign readers to better understand China.

"Translation is an important task to promote the exchange of human civilizations, and publishing for international readers is a noble career for China to communicate with the world and help the world understand China," said Lu Cairong, vice president of CICG.