Ningbo teacher promotes Chinese culture through picture books

On May 25, the bilingual picture book series "Hi! This is China" was launched at the second Annual Meeting of Zhejiang-CEEC Education Think Tank Alliance, through which Du Ying, an associate professor at the Ningbo University of Technology, aims to showcase the China's splendid culture to readers abroad.

"A large number of foreign picture books are available in China, but there is a lack of Chinese picture books for overseas readers," Du said.

Du Ying has dedicated years to the international dissemination of Chinese traditional culture. She has published 47 books, many of which have been translated into multiple languages. One of the pictured book series has been distributed to over 65,000 libraries in 84 countries, earning widespread acclaim from children worldwide.

Inspired by this success, Du envisioned creating a series of bilingual picture books that vividly present the beauty of Chinese culture. However, she faced challenges in bridging cultural differences and ensuring the book's accessibility to Western children.

"Our team started from universal cognitive elements like numbers and colors. China's civilization spans 5,000 years, so we spent considerable time identifying iconic cultural symbols, such as the Great Wall, chopsticks, the Three Character Classic, and the Four Great Classical Novels," Du said.

To ensure precise English translations of these cultural symbols, they consulted language experts. To make the books more comprehensive and engaging, Du's team selected representative historical and cultural elements from myths and legends, as well as modern scientific achievements that reflect the spirit of China. The illustration process took over a year to complete.

"These books are fantastic! They showcase different aspects of China from science, history, to literature, deepening my understanding of Chinese culture," said Dr Vanó Renáta, vice chairman of the Hungarian Education Office.