CICG commemorates 100th anniversary of Esperantist Li Shijun
China International Communications Group (CICG) held a ceremony on Saturday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Li Shijun, a pioneer who dedicated his life to promoting Esperanto in China.
Liu Dawei, vice president of China International Communications Group (CICG) and president of the China Esperanto League, delivers a speech at a ceremony held in Beijing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Esperantist Li Shijun, on June 10, 2023. [Photo/CICG]
More than 80 people attended the event, including Liu Dawei, vice president of CICG and president of the China Esperanto League (CEL), former CEL President Tan Xiuzhu, as well as Li's family members, students, colleagues, and representatives from Esperanto associations across the country.
File photo of Esperantist Li Shijun. [Photo provided by the China Esperanto League]
In his speech, Liu noted that Esperanto embodies humanity's common aspiration for equity and friendship, and their shared pursuit of a better world. He highlighted Li's outstanding contributions to China's Esperanto movement and cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world. Liu called on Chinese Esperantists to carry on Li's will and spirit, promote his legacy, and make significant contributions to telling China's stories well in Esperanto and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Liu Dawei, vice president of China International Communications Group (CICG) and president of the China Esperanto League, presents books to a family member of Esperantist Li Shijun at a ceremony held in Beijing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth, on June 10, 2023. [Photo/CICG]
Li began studying Esperanto in 1939 and translated three significant Chinese classics into Esperanto, namely "Outlaws of the Marsh," "Three Kingdoms," and "Journey to the West." His unremitting efforts in Esperanto translation earned him the academician title with the International Esperanto Academy in 1983. He was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in Translation by the Translators Association of China in 2010.
At the commemoration ceremony, Li's family members, colleagues, students, and Esperanto speakers from all over the country shared their stories of their time with Li. The ceremony also featured a book launch ceremony of "Kurso pri la Traduka Arto de Esperanto" and "Promeno tra l'Esperanta Literaturo." These two books reflect Li's lifelong dedication to the development of Esperanto cause and fill the gaps in Esperanto translation and literature introduction textbooks.
Participants pose for a photo at a ceremony held in Beijing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Esperantist Li Shijun, on June 10, 2023. [Photo/CICG]
The event was jointly organized by the CEL, the Beijing Esperanto Association, and CICG's subsidiaries Sinolingua Press, Foreign Languages Press, and the Center for Asia-Pacific.