A literary salon on the Arabic version of Beijing Boy.

China boasts a lengthy history and a diversified culture. As a Sinologist and translator, my relationship with China runs rather deep. In 1999, after graduating from high school, I officially began learning Chinese with my father's encouragement and advice. At the very beginning, I found this language, with unique features and charm, to be completely different from the Western languages I had learned before. As my studies progressed, I developed a strong interest in it and experienced a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment from it.

I made an effort to overcome the language barrier in order to peel back the layers of this ancient country's long-lasting and splendid civilization. I visited China for the first time in 2008, and for the following seven years, Beijing was my home. During my stay, I began to observe the country closely; before then, I had only read about it in books.

My research and time in China have given me a greater understanding of the country. I became friends with a lot of Chinese people and read many works written by famous Chinese authors, including The Rickshaw Boy and Teahouse by Lao She (1899–1966), The True Story of Ah Q by Lu Xun (1881–1936), and A Dream of the Red Mansions by Cao Xueqin (1715–1763). These are required readings for my Chinese literature coursework. Reading them has deepened my knowledge of traditional Chinese customs and culture, which has had a profound Tunisia and the entire Arab world. Over the past seven years, we have introduced, translated, and published a large number of Chinese books, as well as exhibited a variety of excellent translations of Chinese works at international book fairs held in Arab countries, which were well received by local readers.