Centennial commemoration of translator Huang Hongquan held in SZ

A ceremony marking the 100th birthday of late translator Huang Hongquan was held on Sunday in Shenzhen, featuring a new edition of his acclaimed bilingual "Anthology of Song Dynasty Ci-Poetry." Hosted by the Hongquan Academy, the event aims to pay tribute to his lifelong dedication to the cause of translating classical Chinese poetry and promoting cultural exchange.

Professor Ming Baijun, wife of the late translator Huang Hongquan, speaks at the event. Photos courtesy of the organizer

The event also showcased the new edition of Huang's bilingual translation work, "Anthology of Song Dynasty Ci-Poetry." "Anthology of Song Dynasty Ci-Poetry," an English version only, was first published in 1988 and presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair that same year, drawing international attention to the aesthetics of Chinese Song Dynasty poetry. This new bilingual edition features translations of 305 poems, accompanied by a nearly 50,000-word English introduction and over 200,000 words of English annotations—a highly distinctive characteristic among translation works. Furthermore, the book embodies Huang's "imagery translation" approach. Unconstrained by literal translation, Huang focuses on capturing the essence, artistic conception, and emotional core of the original works, thereby revitalizing the spiritual depth and artistic beauty of Song Dynasty Ci-poetry for the English-speaking world. His translations not only facilitate a deeper understanding of ancient Chinese poetry for native English readers but also serve to promote Chinese cultural heritage.

"Anthology of Song Dynasty Ci-Poetry" by Huang Hongquan. 

Huang Hongquan was born in November 1925 in Linli, Hunan Province, and passed away in March 2009. His great-grandfather, Huang Daorang, was a renowned late-Qing Dynasty poet, and his father, Huang Youchang, served as a professor in the Law Department of Peking University and was a leading expert in jurisprudence in his era. Huang Hongquan himself taught at the Beijing Institute of International Relations and Hebei Normal University. He devoted his life to education and the translation of Chinese Song Dynasty Ci-poetry. Beyond his academic achievements, Huang was also a passionate poet in his own right. His poems were published in prestigious journals such as Yuelu Poetry, The Muse of Poetry, and Chinese Poetry. His personal collection, "Singing at Dawn by Streams and Mountains," compiles over a thousand of his original poems, showcasing his considerable literary talent.

A scene from Sunday's event.