When I was little, I read The Magical Paintbrush, a children's book based on a captivating Chinese fairy tale with distinctive cultural characteristics. It planted a seed of curiosity in me about the wonderful China, and I started to develop an interest in the Chinese language and culture.

Prof. Fidan visits an oil painting exhibition for international cultural exchange on sinology and Confucianism studies held in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, in July 2023.

As I grew older, I resolved to learn Chinese in order to gain a deeper understanding of the Chinese culture. In 2000, when I graduated from high school and was admitted to the Ankara University, I chose to study sinology without hesitation. I then further studied it during my master's and PhD programs. Those days marked a watershed in my life where I was exposed to a wealth of knowledge about Chinese history, culture and literature. Structured learning with unwavering commitment enabled me to strengthen my language skills and begin dabbling in Chinese literature. I found Chinese literature really fascinating, whether it is classical, modern or contemporary. Learning Chinese has allowed me to delve deeply into Chinese literature and lay the groundwork for my sinology research.