By Liu Jun (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-04-07 22:28

An exhibition commemorating the centennial of the birth of renowned Chinese translator Fou Lei (Fu Lei) (1908-66) opened Monday (April 7) afternoon at the National Library of China in Beijing.

An exhibition commemorating the centennial of the birth of renowned Chinese translator Fou Lei openes at the National Library of China in Beijing, April 7, 2008. [China Daily]

"Fou is one of our nation's most outstanding intellectuals," Vice Cultural Minister Zhou Heping said at the opening ceremony. "He is an evergreen tree for translators and contributed greatly to cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world."

Cultural attaché with the French Embassy in Beijing Christine Cornet said: "Fou Lei is the best reference as a Chinese translator for Balzac's works." The embassy boasts a comprehensive collection of Fou's translations of French authors, such as Balzac and Romain Rolland.

But most people know Fou through his family's letters, which were compiled by his two sons Fou Ts'ong and Fou Min in 1981. More than 1 million copies of the compilation have been sold.

The work demonstrates the scholar's deep understanding of traditional Chinese culture and Western art, music and philosophy. It also shows how much he loved children and the Chinese nation, Zhou said.

The show displays about 200 precious manuscripts and letters, half of them are disclosed for the public for the first time. Enlarged photos of Fou and his family provide snapshots of his eventful life before he committed suicide along with his wife Zhu Meifu in 1966 at the beginning of the "cultural revolution" (1966-76).

"I'm relieved that the time when intellectuals were persecuted for pursuing truth is forever gone," said Ren Jiyu, honorary curator of the National Library, which has treasured some of Fou's manuscripts since the 1950s.

"My father was honest and outspoken with everyone," Fou Min said. "It is important to understand the solemn and stirring life my father chose, so our nation would not repeat the same mistakes and we could nurture truthful, upright people."

Fou Lei's elder son Fou Ts'ong, a renowned pianist living in London, didn't attend the opening ceremony. But he is scheduled to play a series of solo concerts commemorating his father in the coming month.

Also, professors Jin Sheng Hwa (Serena Jin) of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Xu Jun of Nanjing University will give lectures on Fou Lei's translations and spirituality on April 9 at the National Library.

The exhibition is free and runs until April 22 in Beijing, before traveling to Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Dalian.

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