The shortlisted works for the 2024 Fu Lei Prize are announced- shining the spotlight on translators
On October 24, 2024, the 10 finalists for the Fu Lei Translation and Publishing Awards were announced in Beijing. During the press conference, Mr. Pierre Guo-Liang, the cultural and scientific affairs counselor at the French Embassy in China, emphasized the often-overlooked role of translators, stating, “At least once a year, we should shine a spotlight on these shadowy figures.”
This year, the Fu Lei Awards, which were established in 2009 to honor Chinese translations of French literary and academic works, are set to take place in Beijing on November 30 and December 1. Mr. Yu Zhongxian, the chairman of the judging panel and former editor-in-chief of “World Literature,” introduced the 10 nominated works, which include five literary translations such as “For the Use of Photos” and “Notes from Home,” as well as five social science translations like “Seeing Notre-Dame: A History and Archaeology of a Cathedral” and “Critique Dictionary of the French Revolution.” The judging panel will conduct a comprehensive review of the nominated works at the end of November.
Mr. Yu noted that this year’s nominees are younger and that there is a significant representation of female translators. He pointed out that some of the social science translations are based on complex and challenging original texts, often resulting in collaborations among multiple translators. In contrast, the literary works cover a broad range, including classics from the 20th century and contemporary pieces reflecting the lives of young people in France. With the increasing diversity of French books being introduced in recent years, Mr. Yu remarked on the necessity for younger publishers and translators to emerge.
Dong Qiang, the chairman of the Fu Lei Awards and dean of the Yenching Academy at Peking University, stated that over the past 16 years, the Fu Lei Awards have become a significant accolade in the translation field, balancing professionalism with support for emerging translators. He explained that from inception, the awards have recognized one literary and one social science work each year, reflecting the committee’s awareness of the differences in translating literature versus humanities and social sciences. Recognizing the importance of nurturing new talent, the Fu Lei Awards introduced a “Newcomer Award” in 2013, resulting in a younger pool of nominees. Of the 60 translators this year, 42 belong to the “post-80s” generation.
In closing, Dong highlighted the often-hidden nature of translators and their crucial contributions. “By selecting these 10 nominated works, we hope to bring attention to all of them,” he said.