On October 11th, 2024, at the invitation of the Research Center for International Communication of Chinese Culture, School of Foreign Studies (SFS), Nankai University, Professor Tao Youlan from Fudan University gave a wonderful academic lecture titled “Research on Strategies for Enhancing the International Communication Influence of English Translations of Chinese Classics” to SFS teachers and students.
Professor Tao Youlan is a doctoral supervisor, postdoctoral co-supervisor, head of Translation Department, and director of the Master of Translation and Interpreting (MTI) Education Center of Fudan University. She is also a member of the Fourth China National Committee for Graduate Education of Translation and Interpreting. Her research interests mainly focus on translation education, English translation and reception of Chinese classics, and translation corpus. She has published books, translations and textbooks, and academic papers issued in both domestic and foreign journals. She also served as an editorial board and reviewer of domestic and foreign journals.
In the lecture, Professor Tao Youlan conducted a detailed discussion on how to enhance the international communication influence of English translation of Chinese classics from four aspects: foreign translation under the background of international communication strategy, the characteristics and translation difficulties of Chinese classics, the “Translation-Writing-Transmission” strategy of Chinese classics, and reflections on the practice of translation from Chinese to foreign languages and the cultivation of international communication talents. As an important carrier for spreading the essence of traditional Chinese culture to the world, the English translation of Chinese classics can provide new ideas and contribute new values to the prosperity and development of world culture, and has great capacity for shaping ideas and positive orientation. Therefore, it is urgent to enhance the influence of Chinese culture in international communication, to promote Chinese culture to go abroad through multiple channels, levels and forms, and to complete the “last mile” of communication. This approach will enable China to engage in global civilizational dialogues equally and effectively in a more authentic, multidimensional, and comprehensive manner in the mutual appreciation between Chinese and Western civilizations. Based on her own experience, Professor Tao conducted in-depth discussions and exchanged ideas on how to “tell China's stories well and make the voice of China heard” with the teachers and students present. The atmosphere of the dialogue was warm and relaxed, and teachers and students expressed that they had benefited a lot from the lecture and could not get enough of it. The lecture ended successfully with thunderous applause.
