On November 28th 2015, the annual symposium of the Nanjing Translators Association and the first high-level forum of classics translation and overseas sinology research were successfully held in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, China. It was sponsored by the Nanjing Translators Association, and was undertaken by the College of Foreign Studies of NJAU. The university-level academic research center, Academic Research Center of Classics Translation and Overseas Sinology, which established by our college, was inaugurated at the conference. More than 80 representatives from universities in Nanjing and other areas attended the conference, and so did some teachers and postgraduates of our college. The conference was strongly supported by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press and Shanghai Yu’er Information Technology Co.,Ltd..
Leaders attended the opening ceremony were the assistant principal of NJAU, Professor CHEN Fadi, the convener of the sixth and seventh foreign language literature discipline reviewing group of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, the executive vice president of Translators Association of China, the president of Translators Association of Jiangsu Province, the honorary president of Nanjing Translators Association, Professor XU Jun, the director of Humanities and Social Sciences Department at our university, Professor ZHOU Yingheng, our college’s party secretary, Professor HAN Jiqin and representatives of the Nanjing Institute of Social Sciences, among others. The opening ceremony was presided over by Professor WANG Yinquan of our college.
In the welcome speech, Professor CHEN Fadi introduced the basic situation, characteristics and academic strengths of our university, noting that our college held the conference with the theme of "Classics Translation and Overseas Sinology Research", which fully embodies the pioneering progress made by the college in exploring the differentiation in disciplines construction and enhancing innovation capacities, and helps to improve the impact and visibility of foreign language disciplines of our university; at the same time, the establishment of the Academic Research Center of Classics Translation and Overseas Sinology also conforms to the disciplines and actively adapts to national strategies and health laws and basic concepts needed in social development. Finally, Professor CHEN Fadi wished the symposium a success. Professor XU Jun addressed the opening remarks on behalf of Nanjing Translators Association, and fully affirmed that the active exploration made by the foreign language discipline with conforming to the strategy of "culture going out" of Chinese culture, and he also pointed out that the theme of this conference fits the positive thinking on how to spread Chinese culture abroad in the level of national strategies.
After a brief opening ceremony, the nameplate of the Academic Research Center of Classics Translation and Overseas Sinology recently approved by our college was unveiled by the Professor Chen Fadi and Professor XU Jun. Professor CHEN Fadi presented letters of appointment to the Committee of the Academic Research Center of Classics Translation and Overseas Sinology.
Four experts who were invited to make keynote speeches at the conference are the member of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, the chairman of China National Committee For MTI Education, the executive vice president of Translators Association of China, the vice president of China Academy of Translation, Professor of translation, HUANG Youyi, Beijing Foreign Studies University doctoral tutor, the president of the International Institute of Chinese Studies, Beijing Foreign Studies University, the Vice President of International Confucian Association, Professor ZHANG Xiping, the doctoral tutor of the college of Foreign Languages, Nankai University, the president of Chinese Classics Translation Studies Association, Professor WANG Hongyin, and the distinguished American teacher of the College of Foreign Studies of China University of Mining and Technology, the researcher of International Comparative Studies of Chinese Culture Center, Dr. Kate Rose. They made keynote speeches on the themes of "Classics translation and dissemination of Chinese culture", "Westward research methodology of Chinese culture classics", "Writing Chinese culture, back-translated classical texts" and “Reaching Western Readership in the Translation of Chinese Classics: Authenticity or Accessibility?”
During the keynote speeches carried in the afternoon, Professor FAN Xiangtao from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Professor of translation JI Yaxi, from the PLA Artillery Academy, Professor ZHANG Xinmu from Nanjing University, Professor YIN Fulin from Nanjing Tech University, Associate Professor XU Shiyan from Nanjing Normal University, Dr. LI Lulu from PLA Army Command College and Professor WANG Yinquan of NJAU addressed the general assembly on their specialized studies which closely linked the theme of the conference. Those keynote speakers won a great deal of attention and appreciation of participants. On the closing ceremony, Professor XIAO Hui from Nanjing University of Finance and Economics made the summary statement on behalf of Nanjing Translators Association.
Experts and scholars in Nanjing also attended the conference. They were professor WU Wenzhi, the secretary-general of Nanjing Translators Association, Professor WANG Bo from PLA Institute of International Relations, Professor ZHENG Yuqi from Southeast University, Professor LIU Yunhong from Nanjing University, Professor ZHAO Xueqin from Nanjing University of science and technology, and Professor WANG Yukuo from Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, and others. During the conference, Associate Professor YOU Yiming and Associate Professor CAO Xinyu of the College of Foreign Studies of our university were added as members of Nanjing Translators Association.
The success of the symposium helps our college open new areas and new research directions, highlights academic advantages, presents distinct characteristics as well as promotes diversified development of scientific research and realizes the good development tendency which is "A little bit more; a little bit better." It also looks for a new growth point of disciplines to achieve promotion in our college’s capability of research and innovation. As the core of traditional culture, Chinese classical books (including agriculture books) contain the whole essence of the Chinese cultural heritage and play an important role in the strategy named "culture going out". To be the important part of cultural exports, translation of classics exerts a great influence on Sino-Western cultural communication and serves as a pioneer to make Chinese culture “go out”. At present, it’s an important research direction about how to disseminate these outstanding Chinese cultural classics to the world better. We can believe that the College of Foreign Studies will create a brilliant future with the support of other universities and leaders at all levels together with joint efforts of teachers and students in our college.
