Bridging Past and Present: Professor Rachel Lung Examines Translation Ideology in Ancient Chinese Texts at Guangxi Minzu University and Guangxi University

27-03-2025

On 19 and 21 March 2025, Prof. Rachel Lung, Head of the Department, delivered two insightful talks at Guangxi Minzu University and Guangxi University respectively, examining the ideological and diplomatic roles of translation and interpreting in ancient China. At the 168th Tower of Babel Academic Forum (19 March), she analysed classical distinctions between “yi” (译 Interpreting) and “chong yi” (重译 Relay interpreting), drawing on texts like the Book of the Later Han to highlight their political and cultural significance. On 21 March, during the 88th Jiezi Academic Forum held by the School of Foreign Languages at Guangxi University, Prof. Lung expanded her research, using quantitative analysis of 175 historical documents to demonstrate how these terms reinforced Sino-centric narratives in tributary diplomacy. Both sessions, hosted by Prof. Zhang Xu and Prof. Bai Jiafang respectively, sparked enthusiastic discussions on translation’s dynamics, merging historical scholarship with contemporary academic perspectives.