Shaanxi literature "holds hands" in Urdu, "Batie" youth convey cultural resonance across borders

China News Service, Xi'an, September 6th. Title: Shaanxi literature "holds hands" in Urdu, and "Batie" youth convey cultural resonance across borders

Author Yang Yingqi Mei Yilong

"These words are about the land of Shaanxi, but they read like they are talking about our own lives, so they resonate across borders." At five o'clock in the morning, in the dark of the ancient city of Xi'an, Pakistani young man Wu Siman was already at his desk under the lamp, translating the works of Shaanxi writer Jia Pingwa into Urdu word for word. In a few hours, he will switch identities again and handle the cross-border business of medical equipment and new energy products.

Wu Siman has been yearning for China since he read a text describing the life of Chinese students in junior high school. In 2011, he gave up the opportunity to study in Germany and came to study at Northwestern Polytechnical University. At that time, Wu Siman did not expect that he would marry a wife and have children in Xi'an. He regarded this ancient city as his "second hometown" and cherished the taste of noodles and steamed buns.

After the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, Wu Siman, who had just graduated, seized the business opportunities. "Pakistan's high-quality medical device companies wanted to open up the Chinese market, but lacked connection channels, so I started my business." Since 2017, he has accumulated more than 20 stable customers in China. In 2024, he will set his sights on the new energy field. "Pakistan suffers from frequent power outages in hot weather, and there is a large demand for solar panels, lithium batteries and other products." After Wu Siman introduced relevant Chinese products to the local area, he established a cooperation network in more than 20 cities in just six months, and the supply of products exceeded demand.

On September 4, Wu Siman counted the goods at his office in Xi'an. Photo by Yang Yingqi

"China has a complete supply chain and Pakistan has production space. Relying on the joint construction of the 'Belt and Road' initiative, the cooperation between the two places will be oriented to markets around the world." Wu Siman believes that this new Silk Road is not only a trade road, but also a way to bring Chinese opportunities back to the motherland.

The road to entrepreneurship was not smooth sailing. Wu Siman, who was in a period of confusion, read "Ugly Stone" by Jia Pingwa. "That stone that no one cares about but has its own value made me rethink: What is my value?" Wu Siman said. He translated the article into English and shared it on overseas platforms, which unexpectedly resonated with a large number of netizens. This gave him the idea of ​​translating Shaanxi literature for people in his hometown.

In 2023, after Wu Siman was authorized to translate "Jia Pingwa's Selected Prose" into Urdu, he formed a team of scholars from China, Britain and Pakistan to devote himself to translation work while starting his own business. Wu Siman, who was trying to translate a literary work for the first time, admitted that the local context and dialect expression in Shaanxi literature were the biggest challenges he faced. "I tried to get into the author's creative scene, understand his inner thoughts, and then use the poetic language characteristics of Urdu to reconstruct the rhythm and rhythm of the translation."

On September 4, Wu Siman introduced to reporters the new energy product parts that he is concerned about. Photo by Yang Yingqi

After three years of work, the Urdu version of "Selected Prose by Jia Pingwa" will be released at the end of this month. "Qinqiang", "Abandoned Capital" and works by Shaanxi writers such as Chen Zhongshi and Lu Yao are also included in Wu Siman's translation plan.

In addition to work, Wu Siman also founded a non-profit Chinese school in Pakistan with his friends. “I have seen with my own eyes that Chinese-funded companies and Pakistani students are stuck in the language and cultural gap. Letting both sides bridge this gap is our original intention of running the school.” The school not only teaches local youths to learn languages ​​and strive for opportunities to study in China, but also trains local employees for Chinese-funded companies, and has trained more than 5,000 people so far.

From an ignorant boy to a transnational entrepreneur, Wu Siman, who travels between literature and business, believes that "'Ba tie' is not just an adjective, but also a 'verb', representing the small things that we ordinary people do within our capabilities." (End)