Peking University, April 4, 2017: On March 22, 2017, "Periodical Poetry", a magazine group affiliated with the China Writers Association, held the “Chen Zi’ang Poetry of the Year 2016” awards ceremony in Suining City, Sichuan Province. Zhao Zhenjiang, a Professor from the Spanish and Portuguese Department of the School of Foreign Languages at Peking University, was awarded the “Chen Zi’ang Poetry Translation of the Year 2016” award.
Professor Zhao Zhenjiang receiving his award
Zhao Zhenjiang, a graduate in Spanish from the Western Language and Literature Department at Peking University, is currently a professor and doctoral tutor in the Spanish Language and Literature Department of Peking University. Apart from routine teaching, research and administrative work, Professor Zhao preserves his devotion to literary translation. He has been translating texts for many years and has translated a large number of Spanish classic literary works. His achievements are prominent with numerous readers and he is known for being well acclaimed. Zhao has also cooperated with the University of Granada in Spain. They have translated and revised the Spanish version of the Chinese classic, Dream of the Red Chamber, which has promoted the cultural communication between both sides.
"Periodical Poetry", China's first national poetry magazine, was founded in 1957. It was regarded as the standard for national magazines. Its annual poetry award is named after "a literary master of his generation", Chen Zi’ang. It is held in Suining, Sichuan, which is "Periodical Poetry" and "Chen Zi’ang’s hometown".
The awarding words of the Chen Zi’ang award for poetry translation of the year 2016 are as follows:
The poems translated by Zhao Zhenjiang are accurate but not without literal beauty. He can make a thorough interpretation of the text and extend the charm and style of the original poems, enabling people to feel the cultural differences and appeal. He has been committed to Chinese translation and the study of Spanish poetry for a long time and has always been a pioneer in this field. Through his remarkable translation, Chinese readers have become familiar with a large number of Spanish contemporary distinguished poets such as Dario, Mistral and Neruda. His translation of "Poesía de Guillermo", adhering to the principle of translating poetry as it is, vividly conveys the enthusiasm, dreams, feelings and beliefs of the Spanish poets. He has found a balance between the spirit and literal appearance of the works. In light of these reasons, we award Zhao Zhenjiang the Chen Zi’ang award for poetry translation of the year 2016.
Written by: Yang Yingxue
Edited by: Wang Yuqing, Gan Zhonghao
Source: PKU News (Chinese)
