Sidney Shapiro is a famous translator in China. For decades, he has contributed his strength to the cultural cause of our country and is a guiding light in the cause of translation in our country. Sha Boli loves Chinese culture and once said, "It was Song Jiang who saved me", what is the story behind this?
Born in the United States in 1915, Chaboli is Jewish and became a lawyer after graduating from college. After the outbreak of the Second World War, Chaboli threw himself into the army and became an anti-aircraft artillery soldier. During the war, the US side once selected people in the military to learn China's historical and cultural knowledge and language, and Sha Boli was selected.
After retiring from the military, he continued his studies and studied Chinese culture at several universities, which laid a solid foundation for him to engage in translation in China.
At the age of 32, in order to see China in books, Cha Boli traveled thousands of miles to Shanghai, and at first he worked in his old profession - lawyer. But in the situation at that time, Sha Boli witnessed the suffering of the Chinese people, and with compassion, he resolutely joined the torrent of revolution.
He used his status as a foreigner to help the revolutionary youth cover up, he also helped write English articles in support of land reform, helped deliver medicines to the liberated areas, and used his own income to support the launch of the magazine "Human World". In 1949, the founding ceremony was held, and Chaboli was invited to the viewing platform. He later recalled: "It was a remarkable historic moment. Chinese people stood up, and that was indeed the way they felt at the time, and they stood up mentally. ”
Later, Chaboli was assigned to work as a translator at the Bureau of Cultural Liaison with Foreign Countries. Relying on his native language advantages and years of research and study of Chinese and Chinese culture, he has carried out a large number of translations and creations, and has successively completed the translation of "The Biography of the New Children's Hero", "Water Margin", "Lin Hai Snow Field" and other works.
He worked tirelessly in the field of translation, contributed to china's cultural undertakings, and was later awarded the highest honor in the Chinese translation industry, the "Lifetime Achievement Award for Chinese Translation Culture".
In China, Sha Boli met Fengzi, a drama actress who graduated from Fudan University, and the two later married. In 1962, Sha Boli and his wife lived in Guanfang Hutong, Shicha, Hainan, Beijing, where he lived for a lifetime. A year later, Sha Boli applied to his unit to become a Chinese national, and after approval, Sha Boli, who had been in China for 16 years, finally became a real Chinese.
Later, Sha Boli wrote in his autobiography: "After becoming a Chinese national, I was no longer a helper who sent out care, but became a complete participant!" ”
Out of the need to disseminate the excellent Chinese culture, at that time, China decided to translate the four famous works of ancient times, of which the translation task of "Water Margin" fell on the head of Sha Boli. To this end, Chaboli has read this classic masterpiece over and over again, familiarized it with his heart, and completed this "landmark and wonderful translation in the history of translation in our country" with 8 years of hard work.
During this period, Chaboli had attracted criticism for his "foreigner background", but at that time he was doing the very important work of translating "Water Margin", and those who did not look at him well did not dare to say anything more. In this regard, Sha Boli said: "It was Song Jiang who saved me. ”
Someone once commented on Sha Boli: "He always sympathized, supported, and participated in the revolutionary struggle of the Chinese people and the cause of socialist construction, and on the propaganda front of foreign books and periodicals, he introduced China's development and changes to the world, and also promoted mutual understanding between China and foreign countries." ”
The word "Bo Li" in Chaboli means "erudite and sensible", which is the name he gave himself Chinese. In 2014, Mr. Chabori sr. completed his legendary life, his love for the translation industry will always encourage future generations, and his sincere heart for this land will continue to touch more people.
Resources:
From the Sidelines to the Inclusion: Chabery in 1949
"Magnificent and Not Shocking- Impressions of Saboli's English Autobiography"
"Chaboli's 90th Birthday Celebration"
#Sapori#, #Water Margin#, #16年 #
Author: Alice
Editor-in-charge: Master Liu