Orthodox publications in Chinese presented at Beijing Book Fair
English translation by Nina Tkachuk Dimas
The Chinese Orthodox Church
5/9/2012
As part of the International Book Fair in Beijing there was a roundtable “The Russian book in China: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” The round table was devoted to the translation and publication of Russian literature in China. The round table was attended by G.M. Gupalo, chief editor of “Dar” [“Gift”] publishing house; by Fr. Dionisy Pozdnyaev, parish priest of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul Church in Hong Kong; and by Zhang Baichun, professor of Beijing Normal University. The discussion covered various aspects of the history of Russian books in China — the events of the early period associated with the interaction of Russia and China during the Qing Dynasty, publications undertaken by the Beijing Mission, the publication of works of Russian Sinologists in China.
Roundtable discussion topics touched the little explored period of publishing by the Russian emigration in Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai during the ’20-’40 of the last century, the question of the interrelation of the cultures of China and Russia, as reflected in the literary experience of the Russian emigration in China. And systematic research of this layer of culture is an important and interesting challenge for both Chinese Russianists, and for Russian Sinologists.
Topical issues of modern translations of Russian literature into Chinese, publishing trends, current directions in the development of interests of Chinese readers were discussed by roundtable participants. The discussion also touched upon the problems facing the promotion of Russian literature in China, among which the main ones are: specialists-interpreters, the need to increase the level of professionalism of literary critics, translation of Russian classics of modern literature.
A separate and interesting direction of the round-table discussion was the discussion of issues of translating and publishing in China books which introduce the reader to Orthodoxy in the Chinese language. During the roundtable publications by Orthodox parish in Hong Kong were presented. Roundtable participants and book fair guests were given tens of titles of books, the publication of which is of interest to a wide range of Chinese readers, and responds to the academic demands of Chinese scholars.
