China News Service Sao Paulo, October 27th Title: Brazilian Sinologist Shen Youyou: Why am I keen on translating traditional Chinese works?
China News Service reporter Mo Chengxiong
In the past decade, China-Pakistan comprehensive strategic partnership has been developing continuously, and cooperation in various fields has achieved fruitful results, especially the cultural exchanges between the two countries are becoming increasingly hot, and the "Chinese craze" is in full swing in Brazil. At present, Chinese literary works are loved by more and more Brazilians, and translating and introducing Chinese literary works to Brazilians has become a new fashion. Brazilian Hanologist Shen Youyou recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Service's "East and West Questions", telling the process and experience of getting involved in Chinese and translating traditional Chinese classics.
The interview transcript is summarized as follows:
China News Service reporter: Why did you first understand China, and then get involved in Chinese and have a strong interest in Sinology?
Shen Youyou: When I was young, I was interested in foreign languages and cultures around the world. I have learned a variety of foreign languages, but I have learned Chinese and Chinese culture relatively late.
In the second half of the 20th century, Chinese martial arts, kung fu movies, etc. were very popular in Brazil, and I was also influenced by it. At that time, I had classics such as " Sun Tzu's Art of War ", "Zhuangzi", " Yijing " translated from the third language, as well as books centered on modern and contemporary Chinese history and literary works, and I was very fascinated by this.
In 2003, I met my first Chinese teacher, Hu Xudong , in Brasilia . He is a visiting scholar from China and introduced me to classical literature such as Tang poetry. At the same time, my Chinese friends who lived in Brasilia at that time also allowed me to appreciate the lifestyle of the younger generation of China and catalyzed my fate with China.
Hong Kong held an exhibition related to Kung Fu superstar Bruce Lee . Photo by Hong Shaokui
In 2005, I came to China and worked at the Brazilian Embassy in China for nearly 8 years. Since then, I have worked hard to study Chinese and study Sinology .
China News Service reporter: What Chinese literary works have you translated and published so far? What are the next plans?
Shen Youyou: To this day, I have published three translations with detailed explanations, including "The Analects of Confucius·The Interpretation of Portuguese", "Laozi's Tao Te Ching Heshang Gong's Notes·The General Interpretation of Portuguese", and "Nanhua True Sutra (Zhuangzi) Inner Chapter·The Analysis of Portuguese". He has published dozens of articles, covering Confucian classics such as "The Book of Songs·Great Preface", "Book of Rites·Music Records", "Chapter of Music", "Chapter of Music", "Chapter of Han Shu·Yi Wen Zhi ", "Chapter of Lanting Preface ", and "Chapter of Gu Kaizhi essays in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. I am also engaged in translation and research on poetry, literary theory, etc.
, published in 2012, is the first Portuguese version in history that is directly translated from ancient Chinese. It is also the only version with explanation in Western languages. It is called the "new classic" translated by readers. The book has been released in Brazil and Portugal with sales of over 200,000 copies.
"Laozi Tao Te Ching Heshang Gong's Notes·Portuguese Interpretation" published in 2016 is the only translation of "Heshang Gong's Notes" on sale in Western languages.
"Nanhua True Sutra (Zhuangzi) Inner Articles·Portuguese Analysis" published in 2022, it will give Portuguese readers a comprehensive introduction to the spiritual world of the thinker and writer of the Warring States Period in China for the first time. The book includes two parts: original translation and Portuguese interpretation. Regarding translation, this is also the first time that "Zhuangzi" has been directly translated from ancient Chinese to Portuguese.
Some of the Portuguese version of traditional Chinese works translated and published by Shen Youyou. Photo provided by the interviewee
Next step, I plan to translate and publish "The Art of War", Lu Xun's "Call to Arms" and classic works of modern and contemporary Chinese literature. Among them, the Portuguese translation of Lu Xun's "Call to Arms" is planned to be published in Brazil next year.
I hope to start with "Scream" and follow the masterpieces such as " Besieged City " by Qian Zhongshu, Mo Yan 's "Red Sorghum Family", Chen Zhongshi's " Bailuyuan " by Chen Zhongshi's " Bailuyuan " by .
China News Service reporter: What are your methods and experiences in learning Ancient Chinese ?
Shen Youyou: For the methods and experience of learning ancient Chinese, I remember that in " Wenxin Diaolong ", Liu Xie is constantly repeated. If you want to become a writer, scholars should start by learning (imitating) good articles from classic writers.
I think that an important way to learn ancient Chinese is to read classic chapters that the ancients believed, and the reading method also follows the ancients. At the same time, you must have the self-discipline of regularly reading classical works to avoid being unfamiliar with reading skills. In addition, I also use online dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc. to promote better understanding and digestion.
China News Service reporter: At present, how is the translation and dissemination of Chinese literary works in Brazil?
Shen Youyou: Chinese literary works, especially internationally best-selling Chinese literary works, are currently being translated more and more in Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil. However, they are generally translated from more common languages such as English and French, and there are only a handful of literary works that are translated from Chinese to Portuguese.
At the same time, most of these works are translated and distributed by large publishers according to market demand, which is a business model. So much so far, this model has been limited to specific writers or specific works, and has not brought readers in Portuguese-speaking regions a comprehensive understanding of Chinese literature.
The fifth international seminar on literary translation of Sinologists was held in Huaxi, Guiyang City. Promote the foreign translation and introduction of excellent Chinese literary works and promote the "going out" of Chinese literature. Photo by He Junyi
I believe that in addition to the business model, there should be three ways to promote the translation and dissemination of Chinese literary works in Brazil. First, cultivate the reading masses of "Chinese Studies". Let these Brazilian readers who have some knowledge of Chinese works further understand China and Chinese culture.
The second is to translate some easy-to-understand modern Chinese works for Brazilian readers to read.
Furthermore, we encourage universities from both countries to cooperate to translate, research and disseminate classic Chinese literary works with outstanding value but not high enough demand.
China News Service reporter: How do you think it is currently promoting the spread of Chinese traditional culture in Brazil and even Latin America?
Shen Youyou: In addition to the government level, this work should be encouraged to conduct cultural exchanges at multiple levels of individuals, schools, publishers, media and other forces.
At present, Latin American does not popularize Chinese teaching, and there are only a few universities with Chinese departments. This is probably a problem that will be difficult to solve in the next ten or twenty years.
It is gratifying that in the past decade, Brazil and China have achieved fruitful results in various fields, especially the cultural exchanges between the two countries are becoming increasingly hot, and the "Chinese language fever" is in full swing in Brazil. Brazil currently has 11 Confucius Institutes and 5 Confucius classes, the most are Latin America. These Confucius Institutes and classrooms have become important channels for Brazilian students to learn Chinese, and many Brazilian college students travel thousands of miles to study in China. At the same time, 57 universities in mainland China and Macau have established Portuguese language departments to cultivate high-quality Portuguese-Chinese bilingual talents.
The fifth "Sao Paulo China Film Exhibition" was held at the São Paulo Cultural Center, Brazil. Brazilians went to watch the opening video of the Chinese Film Exhibition. Photo by Mo Chengxiong
I think that Latin American countries and China should strengthen folk cultural exchanges at present, and some translation and publishing companies, music, dance schools, film and art clubs and other institutions can participate and persist for a long time.
China News Service reporter: What reference and inspiration do you think the idea of "harmony" in Chinese traditional culture will learn from and inspire the global changes?
Shen Youyou: "Harmony" has rich connotations, emphasizing harmony and integration, and also allows me to see the concepts of harmonious coexistence, peaceful coexistence, and cooperative development for people and people, nature, people and society, and all nations in the world. It can be said that the solutions containing Chinese wisdom also enrich the concept of global governance.
Laozi said: "The highest good is like water. Water benefits all things without fighting, and is treated as something that everyone hates, so it is almost like the Tao." This represents a wise way of dealing with the world. And this kind of wisdom can provide reference ideas for countries around the world who are in the face of major global changes.(End)
Respondent profile:
Brazilian sinologist Shen Youyou.
Giorgio Erick Sinedino de Araujo, Brazilian sinologist, former diplomat, now working and living in Macau. From 2005 to 2012, he served as an education official at the Brazilian Embassy in China. He has served as a visiting teacher at the Brazilian Cultural Center of Peking University and a part-time teacher at the Macau Polytechnic Institute of Language and Translation. In 2012, he received a master's degree in philosophy from Peking University, and in 2020, he received a doctorate in philosophy from Renmin University of China. He is familiar with Portuguese , Chinese, English, Spanish , Japanese and French. Since 2012, he has successively translated and published many Chinese monographs (Portuguese versions), including "The Analects of Confucius·The Interpretation of Portuguese", "Laozi Tao Te Ching Heshang Gong's Notes·The General Interpretation of Portuguese", "Nanhua True Sutra (Zhuangzi)·The Interpretation of Portuguese", and published dozens of papers and articles. He is currently planning to publish the Portuguese translation of "The Art of War" and Lu Xun's short story collection "Call to Arms". In 2018, the Macau Foundation and the University of Macau jointly held the first "Chinese-Portuguese Literary Translation Award", and his translation "The Analects of Confucius·The Interpretation of Portuguese" won the first place in the Chinese-Portuguese translation award.
