Thirty-nine Sinologists from 31 countries shared their views with Chinese writers on the exchange of literature at the Seventh International Sinologists Conference on Translating Chinese Literature in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, on July 21. The event was co-hosted by the China Writers Association and the Nanjing Municipal Government, and aimed to boost international literature exchange and further expand the reach of Chinese culture. Edited excerpts of the views of some of the participants follow:

Luminita Balan (Romania) 

Translation is not just a linguistic conversion; it is a cultural bridge that connects different worlds.

I have translated ancient Chinese classical works as well as many contemporary literary works, such as [Nobel Prize winner] Mo Yan's The Garlic Ballads. Translating these works is not just about swapping words; it is also about interpreting Chinese culture and society.

Romania and China have a long history of cultural exchange, especially in the field of Sinology. Since the early 20th century, Romanian scholars have paid attention to the study and translation of ancient Chinese classical literature. Sinologists during this period were dedicated to spreading the essence of Confucian thought, Taoist philosophy and other aspects of traditional Chinese culture, bringing ancient Chinese culture into Romania's academic circle and broadening the horizons of its readers.

In recent years, more Romanian translators have translated not only classic works but also actively explored contemporary Chinese literature. More and more works by contemporary Chinese writers are being published in Romania, gaining a wide readership.

Through these translations and studies, Romanian Sinologists and translators have not only enriched the cultural perspective of Romanian readers, but also built a solid bridge for cultural exchange between the China and Romania.

The advancement of technology, especially the rise of AI, will provide new tools and methods for translation. However, we still believe that the core of translation lies in the deep understanding of culture, history and emotions—something that machine translation cannot provide.

Belen Cuadra Mora (Spain) 

Translation is the foundation of cooperation, and thus, the key to human progress. Without translation, there is no exchange of ideas, no trade, no diplomacy and no world literature.

The earliest exchanges between China and Spain also relied on translation. During China's Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Spanish Jesuit Diego de Pantoja (1561-1618) came to Nanjing, which served as the Ming capital from 1368 to 1421. He promoted genuine understanding and exchange between China and Spain, bringing progress in culture, art, science and technology. Translation played a key role in all of this.

Unfortunately, from the 16th century to the mid-20th century, the number of Chinese-to-Spanish translations was extremely limited. Today, things have changed. According to a research report from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, the number of Chinese literary works translated into Spanish has greatly increased over the past two decades.

Although Chinese literature still holds a small share of the Spanish publishing market, the number of translations continues to grow and the genres are becoming more diverse. More and more translators are taking on the task of bridging the cultures of China and Spain.

However, considering China's thousands of years of cultural output, these numbers are still insufficient. And Spanish is a language spoken by more than 600 million people across more than 20 countries. Clearly, there is still much work to be done.

In the face of growing global challenges, only by acknowledging differences and strengthening communication can we find a path to the future. And this communication and understanding is the core of translation.

Fiori Picco (Italy) 

I have translated 22 books so far, including novels, short and medium-length story collections, poetry collections, and essays. I translate every day, and each translation is a new literary challenge.

In a society with highly developed technologies, people cannot afford to become indifferent or lose their sense of life's values. As writers and translators, we must use wonderful works as tools to raise awareness and engage in cross-cultural dialogue.

Literary forms will continue to evolve. We welcome elements of science fiction, ecology and the supernatural, as well as shorter, more easily digestible stories. We want anyone to be able to read anywhere, at any time, in a short span of time. We welcome new forms and styles of literature, but we must not forget our human nature, emotions and morals. We must constantly reflect on the deeper meaning of our humanity.

As a translator, I hope that future literary works will foster empathy, tolerance, and a sense of social responsibility. Each of us can shape a better world, and literature, in its marvelous way, can bring about significant change. 

Duken Massimkhanuly (Kazakhstan) 

Whether viewed from the past or present, Kazakhstan and China share a long history of interactions, with the ancient Silk Road closely linking the peoples of both nations. In the new era, especially since China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative [in 2013 to boost connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes], the relationship between the two countries has reached unprecedented heights. The people of Kazakhstan have become increasingly interested in Chinese literature, culture and learning the Chinese language.

During the Soviet Union era, the people of Kazakhstan learned about Chinese literature through Russian translations. Some works by Chinese writers such as Lu Xun, Mao Dun, Lao She and Guo Moruo were translated from Russian into Kazakh.

From the 1960s to the 1980s, due to the deterioration of Sino-Soviet relations, there were almost no translations of Chinese literary works in Kazakhstan. In the mid-1980s, with the normalization of Sino-Soviet relations, Kazakhstan resumed the translation and publication of Chinese literary works. However, due to a shortage of Chinese language experts, translating Chinese literature posed many challenges.

After Kazakhstan gained independence [in 1991], the government placed great importance on the translation and publishing of foreign literature. Works of the 100 most famous writers in the world, including Lu Xun, were translated.

In recent years, many Chinese literary works, such as Border Town (a modern novel by Shen Congwen, first published in 1934—Ed.), have been translated and published in Kazakhstan. Additionally, many people have translated Chinese literary works from Russian and English versions, publishing them in newspapers and on websites.

Ahmed Sayed (Egypt) 

Without high-quality translations, there is no true international communication. No matter how good the original work is, if the translator does not understand the cultural context, cannot grasp the nuances or lacks literary perception, the result is just "words," not "literature."

AI has already begun to change the landscape of the translation industry. Machines can imitate language structure but cannot replicate emotional warmth. They can produce semantically accurate sentences but cannot understand the deep meaning of writing.

I am not worried that AI will replace human translators, but I am concerned that human translators may lose their sensitivity to language if they rely too much on technology. Future excellent translators will need to learn to use AI to improve efficiency, but they must not lose the cultural judgment. Technology can serve as wings, but direction will always lie in the hands of human thought.

Literature is not fast food and should not win respect based on popularity. The depth of literary works, the accuracy of the translation, the professionalism of the editing and the systematic promotion together allow literature to go abroad, stay and be passed on.

Finally, I would like to say that translation is not a subsidiary task; it is the medium of mutual understanding between civilizations, and the foundation for peaceful dialogue in the future world. BR

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson 

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