STORY: Chinese classics gain popularity in Türkiye as cultural exchange flourishes: sinologist
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 9, 2024
DATELINE: Jan. 13, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:56
LOCATION: Ankara
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Türkiye
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): GIRAY FIDAN, Turkish sinologist, author and translator
3. various of China
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): GIRAY FIDAN, Turkish sinologist, author and translator

STORYLINE

A Turkish sinologist is passionately introducing the Chinese culture of peace through his translations to an ever-growing audience of Turkish readers.

In 2014, Giray Fidan, an Ankara-based professor of Chinese language and history, collaborated with his professor to translate the Chinese classic "The Art of War" from Chinese into Turkish.

The translated version of the book by ancient Chinese strategist Sun Tzu 25 centuries ago became a bestseller in Türkiye, where it was reprinted 25 times in nine years.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): GIRAY FIDAN, Turkish sinologist, author and translator
"'The Art of War' has been written 25 centuries ago. By the name, the translation is "The Art of War," but the main argument, the main idea of the book is avoiding the war. A successful strategist or a general should avoid the war at any cost. In my understanding, the most important part of the book is trying to avoid going into conflict and winning without fighting, so that's a very interesting way of looking.
"The Art of War" is Chinese wisdom, you may say. If it is not inevitable, there's no need to go for the conflict. We may say that the world is large enough for everybody, so we can have a peaceful way.
The Turkish people know today that Chinese wisdom is very precious and also that kind of classics, there are not so many classics that are older than 25 hundred years old. I mean 25 centuries. These kinds of classics produced by humanity are very limited. And of course, the Chinese philosophical classics from the antiquity, I think they are among the most important contributions to all humankind. They belong to all humanity, a part of the common wisdom of humankind which is also for Turkish readers.
The Chinese classics are very precious for all humanity. This is the common heritage of humankind."

Fidan said China's economic success in recent decades and its opening up have offered great opportunities to people across the globe, including from Türkiye, to learn the Chinese language and culture.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): GIRAY FIDAN, Turkish sinologist, author and translator
"Not only in Türkiye but also Europe and even North America, the U.S., many more people are learning Chinese because they think it is an important investment for their future." 

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Ankara.
(XHTV)