Sailing Beijing's stories to the world: The Tongzhou Canal witnesses Beijing's tales to the world

The "Visit Beijing" event was held in Tongzhou district of Beijing's urban sub-center on June 21.

Over 40 writers, sinologists and translators from China and abroad convened and went on a boat tour along the Tongzhou section of the Grand Canal, delving into the newly established Grand Canal Museum, and engaging in literary dialogue under the witness of the millennium-old waterway.

Ma Xinming, the Party Secretary of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, highlighted the significant achievements of "Beijing Writers' Day" over the past six years: 54 works by 41 Beijing writers have been translated into 13 languages and introduced to 18 countries, including Germany, Spain, Russia, France, Turkey, among others.

Speaking about the significance of choosing Tongzhou and the Grand Canal for this event, Ma emphasized Tongzhou's historical role as the starting point of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, a place of cultural fusion since ancient times.

He expressed hope that international writers would not only understand Beijing's hutongs and ancient heritage but also perceive the ecological beauty and pulsating development of Beijing in the new era.

Setting sail with Beijing's stories

The "Beijing Writers' Day" event has become a significant catalyst promoting Beijing's literature on the global stage. Chinese writer Li Donghua was deeply moved after her work "Xiao Man" translated in Arabic gained popularity in Lebanon, while her new work "Return to the Cretaceous Period" secured a publishing deal with a Tunisian publishing house through the event.

She praised the effective promotion of the event, acknowledging the efforts of translators from various countries that have given wings to works, enabling Beijing's stories to reach "distant and special places".

Recollections from foreign lands: Beijing literature touching global souls

The universal appeal of Beijing literature lies in its shared human emotions and cultural experiences. Italian sinologist Jacopo Maria Lasala expressed admiration for Beijing literature, particularly noting the uniqueness of Beijing's regional literature. The first Chinese novel he ever read was Lao She's 'Teahouse', which he loved dearly.

Tunisian sinologist Khaled Elhaj Ahmed keenly observed the striking similarities between the rural cultures of the two countries, despite the geographical distance, highlighting the close connection in language and culture.

Turkish sinologist Giray Fidan shared the success of the six reprints of Lao She's "Cat City" in Turkey. The local publishing house included short stories by Beijing writers in their magazines, demonstrating the Turkish readers' strong interest in Beijing literature.

Egyptian sinologist Ahmed Zarif Daif Mohammed noted the increasing demand for Chinese works in Arabic translation, with translation of Chi Zijian's "The Right Bank of the Erguna River" and works by Liu Zhenyun becoming bestsellers.