Acclaimed translator Yang Xianyi dies at 95
- Source: Global Times
- [22:43 November 24 2009]
- Comments
Yang's translation A Dream of Red Mansions.
"Yang has in his career translated a great number of traditional Chinese literary works into English and no one is comparable to his achievements in this field," vice president and chief editor of China International Publishing Group, Huang Youyi told the Global Times.
"In the area of Chinese to English translation, Yang is the number one in contemporary China, serving as a model for followers to learn," he added.
Huang said that currently China is dedicated to promoting Chinese traditional culture to the outside world and Yang serves as a flag. He added that there are no more than 100 professionals in China qualified to translate literature, the shortage of translators like Yang posing a severe problem.
Huang recollected his days of working alongside Yang, saying that Yang was kind to everyone, from his superiors and colleagues to younger co-workers and that his tolerance and generosity was as desirable as his knowledge.
Huang said that during the Cultural Revolution (1966- 76), Yang was sent to receive reeducation for publishing Western ideals just like most scholars. After the havoc, Yang dedicated himself to the promotion of Chinese culture and civilization to the world.
Huang added that despite Yang being seriously ill immediately after the Cultural Revolution, he always kept a positive attitude.
"He was such a kind of lovely old man, active and optimistic," Huang said.
When he was 24, Yang translated the Chinese masterpiece Li Sao into English. Meeting with Mao Zedong in 1953 and recommended by Zhou Enlai as a senior translator, Mao was apparently taken aback by Yang's age and questioned whether the difficult Li Sao could really be translated into English. Yang famously replied that anything could be translated into English.
