Chinanews.com, Nanchang, June 18th, title: Teachers and students of his hometown alma mater remember Xu Yuanchong: "Bring more poetry to that world"
Reporter Wu Pengquan
"The sun beyond the mountain glows, The Yellow River seawards flows......" On the 18th, in the academician square of the Luyin Road campus of Nanchang No. 2 Middle School (referred to as “Nanchang No. 2 Middle School”), dozens of students recited the "Deng "Stork Tower" waits for Xu Yuanchong's translation to remember Xu Lao.
On June 17, Xu Yuanchong, the leading Chinese translation industry, passed away at the age of 100.
Nanchang No. 2 Middle School is his alma mater. On the 18th, the school held an activity to remember Mr. Xu Yuanchong.
In front of Xu Yuanchong's sculpture in the school's academician square, the teachers and students of Nanchang No. 2 Middle School mourned, recited, and bowed. The yellow and white chrysanthemums presented were piled up at the feet of the statue.
Xu Yuanchong was born in Nanchang, Jiangxi in 1921. He graduated from Nanchang No. 2 Middle School with honors at the age of 17, and was admitted to the Department of Foreign Languages of Southwest United University.
After graduating from Southwest Associated University in 1943, he chose one thing and devoted his whole life to the translation of Chinese-English and Chinese-French literature.
In front of Xu Yuanchong's sculpture in Nanchang No. 2 Middle School, the decorated yellow and white chrysanthemums are piled around the feet of the statue.
Photo by Wu Pengquan
Hearing the news of Xu Yuanchong's death, Cai Aimin, the principal of Nanchang No. 2 Middle School, who went to Beijing to visit Xu Lao a few months ago, couldn't believe it for a while.
"It's really shocking." He sighed and said, although he has been away from his alma mater for many years, alumni Xu Yuanchong has always cared about his alma mater.
In 2017, 96-year-old Xu Yuanchong and his wife returned to Nanchang No. 2 Middle School, and they fondly recalled their schooling experience in their hometown to the students.
On the occasion of the 120th anniversary of Nanchang No. 2 Middle School, Xu Yuan rushed to donate his new book to his alma mater, and used Chinese and English to write the inscription for his alma mater’s 100th anniversary: the best and the better, keep improving, never stop until the peak.
Recalling the scene when Xu Yuan rushed back to his alma mater, Cai Aimin still has a deep memory. “At that time, Xu was in a very good mental state and very passionate. Considering that Xu and his wife were very old, the school originally scheduled a 40-minute report and exchange activity. It took more than an hour."
"I listened to Xu Lao's report." Also impressed, there was Xu Yongfu, the Chinese teaching director of the International Education Department of Nanchang No. 2 Middle School. "The auditorium for reporting and exchange activities is not only full of seats, but also many students are standing; Before Xu Yuanchong's sculpture, many students rushed to take photos with Xu Lao."
In 2010, Xu Yuanchong won the "Lifetime Achievement Award for Translation Culture" issued by the China Translators Association.
In 2014, at the age of 93, he won the "Northern Lights Outstanding Literary Translation Award", the highest award in the international translation industry, and was the first Asian winner to receive this honor.
Cai Aimin said that Xu Yuanchong's turning point in learning English was when the teacher in Nanchang No. 2 Middle School asked him to recite 30 English essays, including Shakespeare's comedies and Lincoln's speeches, which made him gradually realize the advantages of language.
A student from Nanchang No. 2 Middle School left a message: "Forever seniors, go all the way, and bring more poetry to that world!" Photo by Wu Pengquan
Xu Yuanchong also said before his death, "The reason why I can embark on the path of translation and achieve fruitful results is inseparable from the guidance and teaching of the teachers in the second middle school."
"Every time I pass by the statue of Mr. Xu, I feel that he is very close to us. It is really unwilling to give up." According to Xiong Zixin, a 16-year-old high school student from Nanchang No. The beauty of traditional culture.
In fact, Xu Yuanchong has gone through his life with the beauty of sound, shape, and meaning.
A student from Nanchang No. 2 Middle School left a message: "Forever seniors, go all the way, and bring more poetry to that world!" (End)