China News Service, Beijing, September 30th: Question: How can a book "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" become a vivid footnote of the beauty and joy of the cultures of all ethnic groups?
Reporter Zeng Yue
In the ancient book display cabinet of the library of the Fengtai Campus of the University for Nationalities of China, a Qing Dynasty manuscript of "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" is quietly displayed. The two unfolded pages are about the widely circulated "Hu Siniang". Unlike the common version, this one is written in Mongolian.
"This Mongolian version of the Qing manuscript "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" was translated from Chinese into Manchu and then from Manchu into Mongolian." Ji Rige, a student at the School of Chinese Ethnic Languages and Literature at Minzu University of China and a volunteer in the library volunteer service team, told reporters in front of the display cabinet. This translation adds a lot of spoken language and onomatopoeic expressions, allowing anecdotes from the Central Plains to enter the daily lives of the grassland people.
This book "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" is a vivid footnote of the cultural integration and mutual learning of various ethnic groups. According to reports, the Mongolian people used Uighur-style Mongolian, Phasiba, Toth Mongolian and other languages in history, leaving behind a large number of literary works, dictionaries, translated classics, Buddhist classics and other different types of documents. After the 17th century, the writing form and spelling rules of Mongolian changed greatly and gradually became standardized. During the Qing Dynasty, a large number of Mongolian books were published by the official and private parties, and "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" was one of them.
"It can be seen from the process of translation and dissemination that the excellent culture of the Chinese nation is jointly created and inherited by all ethnic groups, reflecting the process of exchanges, exchanges and integration of all ethnic groups. These ancient books contain the common memory of the Chinese nation." As a Mongolian student, Jirige said that coming to the library to explain the ancient books and documents exhibition also gave her a deeper understanding of the cultures of various ethnic groups.
As the eyes move from this book to the entire exhibition hall, the stories contained in the multi-language ancient books are even broader.
"Historically, out of the need for exchanges, various ethnic groups began translation activities very early, leaving behind a large number of ancient books in multiple languages." Huang Jindong, deputy director of the Library of Minzu University of China, said that through translation activities, various ethnic groups are more likely to feel close to each other culturally, understand each other, and get closer to each other during exchanges. The concept of "each has its own beauty, and the beauty is shared" is clearly visible in the classics.
"Ancient books are precious cultural heritage of the Chinese nation. They truly record the great historical process of all ethnic groups jointly creating the territory of the motherland and creating Chinese civilization. They vividly reproduce the history of exchanges, exchanges and integration of all ethnic groups, and reflect the historical fact that the Chinese nation is one family." Huang Jindong said that fully exploring the connotation of ancient book resources can provide a historical foundation and academic resources for the work of building a strong sense of the Chinese nation's community in the new era, and are of great importance and value in promoting the construction of the Chinese nation's community.
Since 2019, the Library of Minzu University of China has opened up an exhibition space for special collections of ancient books and launched the "National Memory·Precious Collections" exhibition of special collections of ancient books. Liu Mingxin, Director of the Library of Minzu University of China, introduced that the libraries of the two campuses of Minzu University of China have a total of more than 2.24 million volumes (pieces) of paper documents, covering more than 20 ethnic language books including Mongolian, Tibetan, Uyghur, Kazakh, Korean, Dai, and Yi. The collection of ancient books amounts to more than 17,000 kinds and more than 220,000 volumes, including carved Yuan celadon from the Song Dynasty, fine works from the Ming and Qing dynasties, rubbings of inscriptions and inscriptions, paintings and calligraphy by famous artists, as well as ancient books in ethnic languages.
Liu Mingxin said that the Library of Minzu University of China has always attached great importance to the collection, arrangement, research, display and utilization of ancient books and documents, and strives to promote the development of the pluralistic unity of the Chinese nation through the history of exchanges, exchanges and integration of various ethnic groups recorded in the classics, to explore and carry forward the ideological connotation of ethnic unity and progress contained in it, to promote all ethnic groups to hold together tightly like pomegranate seeds, to work together in unity, to prosper and develop together, and to make positive contributions to the great cause of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
