Yunzhongjinshu丨Egyptian translator Mohsin Falgani
In Egyptian literature, the mother river, the Nile, is often used to describe a good cause. According to the famous translator Mohsin Falgani, translating Chinese literary works and spreading Chinese culture is the Nile flowing in his heart. On May 28, this famous translator, who has won the "China Book Special Contribution Award" and the "China-Arab Friendship Outstanding Contribution Award", submitted a letter to the main station's "Yunzhongjinshu: My Story of China" global collection event Specially written articles and recorded video messages. Next, let us get closer to this Egyptian translator who has been working in the field of Arabic translation of Chinese literary works for more than 40 years and listen to his Chinese stories.
Mohsin Farghani is a professor at Ain Shams University in Egypt. In 1977, he entered the Language College of AI University to study Chinese and stayed at the school to teach after graduation. His natural interest in literature and Chinese culture led him to formally embark on the path of translating Chinese literary works when he studied in China for the second time.
During the interview, Mohsin told the main station reporter that in the past, foreign books in Egypt were basically translated from the English or French translations of the book. This gave Mohsin, who was already a teacher in the Chinese Department, the idea of creating a book through his own An effort to provide Egyptian readers with the idea of a literal Chinese translation.
△The book on the right in the photo is the "Four Books" translated by Mohsin
During the interview, the reporter from the main station was deeply moved by the small study room in Mohsin's home. It was in this small world that Muhsin translated one Chinese literary work after another year after year.
After returning home from school every day, Mohsin got into his study and began to swim in the world of words. Read a book, then start translating, stop when you are tired, then continue translating, and so on. In the eyes of many people, living like this for ten years a day is a bit boring, but it was with this persistent love that he was able to complete "The Analects of Confucius", "The Book of Songs", "Tao Te Ching", "Warring States Policy" and many other Chinese works. At the same time, he has also completed the translation of many famous modern Chinese novels, such as Alai's "The Dust Has Settled" and Mo Yan's "Cow".
△Muhsin took a photo with the famous Chinese writer Wang Meng
Due to his great contribution in translating Chinese literary works and promoting Sino-Arab cultural exchanges, Mohsin was awarded the "Chinese Book Special Contribution Award" in 2013, becoming the first Arab to win this award. In 2016, during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Egypt, President Xi personally presented the “China-Arab Friendship Outstanding Contribution Award” to Mohsin.
During the interview, Mohsin repeatedly mentioned to reporters from the main station that the moment when he accepted the award from President Xi Jinping and shook hands with him was the proudest moment in his life. Mohsin said he never thought he would actually meet President Xi one day, even on the day he attended the award ceremony. It wasn't until he was about to arrive at the venue in the elevator that he was told that he would see President Xi soon. “I still couldn’t believe it was true until the end of the meeting,” Mohsin told reporters with a smile. “It really made me feel honored and proud to shake hands with President Xi and personally receive the medals and certificates from him. At the same time, I also feel that the burden on my shoulders is heavier.”
Mohsin is now over sixty years old, but he told reporters that in addition to continuing to translate Chinese literary works, he also wants to do more, such as cultivating and strengthening the team of young Arab translators from Chinese to Arabic, and conducting some research on his work on The creation of understanding of Chinese literature and Chinese culture. Looking at this tall old man in front of us, we believe that we will see more stories about him and China in the near future.
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