Editor's Note:

From September 26 to October 5, 2024, the Riyadh International Book Fair was held at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As one of the most influential and highest-grossing book fairs in the Arab world, this year's event attracted over 2,000 publishers from over 30 countries and regions, making it the largest fair to date. Domestic publishing institutions, including the China Intercontinental Press, collectively showcased over 1,000 China-themed books in Arabic, English and Chinese.

At the book fair, the China-Arab Translation Book Zone featured representative works by renowned Chinese and Arab authors, including Xu Zechen, Liu Zhenyun, and Saudi Arabia's Abdul Hadi Haller, presented in both Chinese and Arabic editions. This exhibition highlighted the remarkable achievements of China-Arab book exchanges and cooperation, fostering deeper emotional and cultural ties between the peoples of both nations through the bridge of literature. Seizing this opportunity, China News Release invited Ahmed Sayed, president of Egypt's Bayt Al-Hekma Cultural Group, a publishing house mainly devoted to the Arabic translation of Chinese books, as well as Chinese language learning books and courses, to share his story with Chinese literature.

This year marks my 13th year in China and my 13th year working in the China-Arab publishing field. Yet, my love for Chinese literature spans over two decades, dating back to 2001 when I began studying Chinese. My journey into Chinese literature started with the eminent Chinese writer Lu Xun (1881–1936).

In Egypt, we have a celebrated writer named Taha Hussein (1889–1973), a towering figure in the literary realm of the Arab world. With a vast body of works, Taha Hussein was not only a literary giant but also an erudite scholar in history, philosophy, and other fields, earning him the title "Dean of Arabic Literature." In China, scholars often mention Taha Hussein in the same breath as Lu Xun, given the striking parallels in their lives and experiences. Both used their literary works to express their insights and critiques of the social conditions of their time. Thus, from the moment I embarked on my journey of learning Chinese and delving into Chinese literature, Lu Xun entered my world of understanding.

As my Chinese studies deepened, so did my appreciation for Lu Xun's literary works. His words, resembling fireworks in the dark night, fascinated me immensely. I sought to learn more about his literary works and his life through the local internet and libraries, only to find a disappointing scarcity of material. It was then that I resolved to someday translate some of Lu Xun's works myself if given the chance.

Ahmed Sayed (left) introduces the Arabic edition of Xi Jinping's On Building a Human Community With a Shared Future to a visitor at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, April 30, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Ahmed Sayed]