Pathlight of Chinese literature to lighten up the world

The People‘s Literature magazine, the most important literary magazine in the country, is now available in multiple languages in new design.[Photo by Mei Jia/chinadaily.com.cn]

"We hope to show the world, through the magazines, that Chinese literature is open to the world, and is also a part of the world literature. It shouldn’t be put on the shelves of sociology," Shi said, recalling the past experience of seeing translated Chinese literary works misplaced in bookstores outside of China.

Using the same successful mode of cooperation in publishing the English version, the German version also has a mixed editorial team that combines translators, scholars, and critics who are native speakers of either German or Chinese languages.

Gong Yingxin, director of German Book Office Beijing of Frankfurt Book Fair, said the editors have been having "fierce" discussions in details like the translation of a single word.

The first issue, after a year’s co-work, selects 18 Chinese writers, including Han Shaogong and Lin Bai. The theme is "thoughts". Herr Enrico Brandt, head of the section for cultural affairs of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Beijing, said he finds reading the issue a wonderful experience and he likes the stories of the little marginalized characters.

"The interest of reading China has been on a rise, for example, the number of Chinese publishers that went to 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair has increased 10 percent," Brandt said.

"All we want to do, through publishing the magazines, is to share with the global audience how ordinary Chinese people nowadays might feel and react toward the world," Shi said.