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Celebrating foreigners who write about China
Updated: 2018-08-30 09:12:12
( chinadaily.com.cn )

Peter Sragher, with his book You are a Dragon, published by China Renmin University Press, is seen at the award ceremony for the Foreigners Writing China Program and the third conference call for works, Aug 24, 2018. [Photo by Wang Qiao/chinadaily.com.cn]

Authors and publishing house representatives gathered on Aug 24 to salute foreign authors writing about China at the award ceremony for the Foreigners Writing China Program and the third conference call for works.

More than 120 foreign authors who write about China were selected for the Foreigners Writing China Program resource database, which gives them a chance to have their works published worldwide.

Five representative authors attended the award ceremony at the China International Exhibition Hall in Beijing's Shunyi district on Friday.

Under the direct guidance of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the People's Republic of China, and organized by the Chinese Culture Translation and Studies Support Network (CCTSS), the Silk Road Book Project: Foreigners Writing China Program selects and sponsors foreign authors who intend to write about China in various genres, such as poetry and nonfiction, to publish their works.

The program helps to reach overseas readers, according to Dong Lixi, senior editor of the World Scientific publishing house.

"We will continue to publish more works from expats familiar with Chinese culture, for their works have more reach and acceptance among their local readers," Dong said.

"The Foreigners Writing China Program was launched to deal with the problem of translated works from Chinese authors being less effective in communicating China's voice," said Xu Baofeng, a professor at Beijing Language and Culture University who is in charge of the project.

Authors and publishing house representatives attend the award ceremony for the Foreigners Writing China Program and the third conference call for works, Aug 24, 2018. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Hugh Peyman, an economist and financial analyst who is an author in the program, has lived in Shanghai for the past 16 years. His new book, China's Change, published in May, touches on China's economic transformation.

"I find it's useful to have this concept of change, and when everyone asks what the biggest danger is to China's economy, I'd say if it stops changing," said Peyman.

Inspired by a 2016 trip to China, Peter Sragher published the poetry collection, You are a Dragon, which was sponsored by the program. One poem in the book reads:

" 'cause chinese cannot speak
'cause chinese cannot utter
Words
They can but sing their
Soul
To the others
So each chinese is a poet
Of his language
And the language is a great song
Coming all the way
From li pai
From hanshan
From lao tze"

Li Pai (Li Bai) and Hanshan were famous ancient Chinese poets, and Lao Tze was a famous Chinese philosopher and thinker. One of his works, Dao De Jing, is known worldwide.

Other published books include My Tryst with China by B. R. Deepak, and Jin Shengyi's Sino- South Korea Relations in my Eyes. The new round of applications for the program starts in September.

More details can be read here: http://www.cctss.org

Authors and publishing house representatives attend the award ceremony for the Foreigners Writing China Program and the third conference call for works, Aug 24, 2018. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Luo Baolu, an award-winning author in the Foreigners Writing China Program, speaks at the award ceremony for the program, Aug 24, 2018. [Photo by Wang Qiao/chinadaily.com.cn]

Participants pose for a group photo of the organizers, authors and publishing house representatives at the award ceremony for the Foreigners Writing China Program and the third conference call for works, Aug 24, 2018. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

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