On September 6, 2024, the proposal meeting for How Disease Has Shaped Our History (German version), as one of Chinese academic translation projects of the National Social Science Fund of China(NSSFC), was successfully held online. This project was jointly submitted by Dr Han Jie, a German language instructor from the School of Foreign Studies (SFS) at Nankai University, and the Zhonghua Book Company, with Dr Han serving as the project lead.
The meeting was chaired by Professor Li Min, Vice-president of the SFS at Nankai University. Attendees included Meng Delong, Assistant Minister of the Department for Humanities and Social Sciences Research Administration at Nankai University and Professor Yu Gengzhe, the author of the original work, from the College of History and Civilization at Shaanxi Normal Universitywho all delivered opening remarks.
The defense committee included Professor Li Changke from the School of Foreign Languages at Peking University, Professor Chen Liangmei from the School of Foreign Languages and Cultures at Nanjing Normal University, and Dr. Sabine Herrmann, a German medical history expert.
Project team members, including Dr. Ulrich Theobald, Senior Lecturer in Sinology at Tübingen University, and Fabian Hiller, a doctoral student at Tübingen University’s Department of Sinology, alsoattended.
Professor Li Min welcomed the participants, extended congratulations to Han for winning the project, and commended his language and academic skills. Prof Li also expressed gratitude for the strong support from the university’s research department, the experts, and the author in the application process. Additionally, Prof Li encouraged the project team to strive for a high-quality translation to contribute to the global outreach of Chinese academic classics. Meng Delong congratulated the SFS on its record-breaking number of translation project approvals, encouraged the sharing of experiences among approved project leaders, and emphasized the significance of translating this work for international audiences. Meng further acknowledged the academic value of the original manuscript. Professor Yu Gengzhe expressed gratitude to the project team for their dedication and pledged his full support for the project, including active communication to address any challenges in the translation process.
Professor Li Changke, as chair of the defense committee, led the defense session. Project leader Han Jie presented an overview of the project, covering the proposed outcomes, the translation and editing plans, the overseas publication arrangement, and the international promotion strategy. The committee members acknowledged the report, offering constructive feedback and suggestions.
Drawing from her own experience in translation projects, Professor Chen advised the team on effective time management for the later stages, including extending the proofreading and review periods appropriately. She also emphasized the importance of collecting issues, adhering to correct translation methods for German terminology, minimizing footnotes, and maintaining stylistic uniformity throughout the translation through reporting without delay among members. Professor Yu recommended using specialized reference books for terminology and pledged to provide a list of reference works after the meeting. He also endorsed creative latitude for the translators while emphasizing the need for regular communication. Dr. Sabine Herrmann noted the significance of the translation in advancing relevant research abroad and suggested including a glossary or explanatory index at the end of the book for German readers while preserving key Chinese cultural and linguistic features. Professor Li Changke highlighted the need to balance academic rigor with readability and proposed that the translation team, under Dr. Herrmann's guidance, read additional German texts on the socio-cultural history of medicine to deepen their professional and linguistic knowledge.
After a thorough review, the defense committee recognized the project’s academic significance, well-structured plan, and clear division of roles, deeming the team capable of fulfilling the translation and publication tasks. The project was unanimously approved. Dr Han Jie expressed gratitude to the leadership and experts, stating that he would further refine the project plan based on their valuable suggestions to ensure the project’s successful completion.
