100 Chinese and foreign youth gathered in Nanchang to promote reading culture

NANCHANG, China, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from Jiangxi International Communication Center (JXICC): On April 13, ahead of the fifth National Conference on Reading, the international event "Where Scholarly Fragrance Fills Jiangxi, Elegant Translation Blossoms: From Xu's Hometown to the World" was held in Nanchang, Jiangxi. It gathered over a hundred Chinese and foreign youths and guests. Using books as a medium and translation as a bridge, participants embarked on a cultural journey spanning Nanchang No. 2 Middle School, the alma mater of the legendary translator, Xu Yuanchong, and the historic Tengwang Pavilion.

Lai Yihua, secretary of the leading Party members' group and vice president of Translators' Association of Jiangxi and professor at Nanchang University, joined Xu Yuanzhong, a relative of Xu Yuanchong, to share insights into the master's life. They detailed how Xu Yuanchong applied his "Three Beauties Theory" to share the essence of The Book of Songs and 300 Tang Poems with the world. In 2014, Xu Yuanchong was honored with the "Aurora Borealis" Prize for Outstanding Translation of Fiction Literature, one of the highest honors that celebrate excellence in international translators.

Chinese and foreign youth delivered bilingual recitations of classic literary fragments translated by Xu Yuanchong, including "Cooing and Wooing" and "The Seven Ages of Man". The atmosphere reached a crescendo as the entire audience recited Li Bai's "The Waterfall in Mount Lu Viewed from Afar" alongside Xu Yuanchong's English rendition.

"Reading helps me understand Jiangxi, traveling makes me fall in love with it," shared Zhang Xingyue, a student from Madagascar studying at Jiangxi Normal University. Having visited ten prefecture-level cities across the province, she has documented Jiangxi's cultural beauty through her lens. Meanwhile, Xie Yixuan, a student, called on her peers to "embrace the classics while embracing the world".

Leaving behind the sound of reading on campus, participants moved to Tengwang Pavilion, one of China's most iconic historic towers. Dressed in traditional Hanfu, Chinese and international students recited excerpts from "A Tribute to King Teng's Tower". The event continued with vibrant performances, showcasing the beauty of cultural diversity and exchange.

The event served as both a tribute to the translation master who brought Chinese culture from Jiangxi to the world and a showcase of Jiangxi as open, inclusive, and steeped in literary tradition. 

SOURCE Jiangxi International Communication Center(JXICC)