In the conference room of Yunji Hotel, the expert group for the overseas promotion of Chinese culture is holding a regular meeting once a month.

When discussing the recommended works, Wang Zhijie, director of the Ministry of Culture, said: "The main duty of our expert group is to recommend excellent literary works overseas and introduce Chinese culture to the world. ”

"I think this is a very meaningful thing, I studied advertising communication in college, and I also belong to the Faculty of Humanities, and I have always liked to read books. Since the Ministry of Culture asked me to take the lead in promoting this overseas cultural promotion program, I have gone one step further, researched a lot of overseas literature, and listened to many experts talk about the current situation of literature in China, and I have benefited a lot. During this time, I also have a few immature views that I would like to share with you. ”

Everyone asked him to speak.

Wang Zhijie said: "Our promotion plan started last year, and the time is not long or short, and this year has also been three years. In the past three years, with the joint efforts of everyone, many achievements have been made, and the achievements are obvious to all, and the Ministry of Culture, all sectors of society, especially the literary circles, have very affirmed our work. But now that we are an internal meeting, I will not talk about the compliments here, but I will talk about a few things that we still need to improve. ”

"To be sure, although the literary works we have promoted in the past three years have won some literary awards, their impact is actually limited. This limitation is mainly reflected in two aspects, one is the lack of awards received, and the other is the lack of sales and social popularity of the works. ”

"I've been thinking about the reasons for this, first of all, it's not that our literature is bad. Our work is very good, has depth, and tells a good story, but ...... If I think about it, maybe the problem is here, we are telling a good story, but foreign readers can't understand it, they can't understand it. I once went to Israel with Professor Wang Hongxiang to visit, and a college student there asked him for advice with "The Great River East", saying that there were many places that he could not understand, and asked what he could not understand, and I thought that it was a very in-depth question, but I did not expect it to be very simple. ”

Later, we discussed, it's not that the college student is not smart, and the person who is not smart will not read such a book as Huaxia's "Da Jiangdong Go", and we discussed it all the way until we were on the plane back to China. Actually, for us, the questions asked are simple, but for them, the questions are not simple at all. Because these problems have one thing in common, that is, they are full of oriental ways of thinking, which are very different from theirs. ”

By extension, why is it that a book that seems very good to us tells a very wonderful story, but people abroad don't read it much, the story book has no difference between Eastern and Western thinking, but there are storytelling techniques. The problem lies in the way of storytelling, and another point is that when we tell stories, we convey a very Eastern ideology, and if we look at the West that sells well in our country, what they convey is often the most basic and universally recognized truth, goodness and beauty of human beings. This is a moral code shared by all human beings, so no one in any country seems to be divided......"

Wang Zhijie spoke a lot, and led the participants to participate in a heated discussion, the last time is not early, almost 12 o'clock at noon, as the host, Wang Zhijie said: "Today talked a lot, very rewarding, soon at noon, everyone can eat and chat." I've got a young friend and I've been waiting all morning, and when it's time for dinner, you can talk to him, and I'm sure you'll be very interested in him. ”

Many ask who it is.

Wang Zhijie said: "Everyone has heard the name, it is Li Xiang, the author of "The Old Man and the Sea". ”

Someone immediately said, "Speaking of Li Xiang, I have always wanted to recommend this book." I have read "The Old Man and the Sea", and many people around me have seen it, it is very exciting, why can't it be included in the overseas promotion plan, and the values and storytelling techniques of this book are very in line with what Wang Si said just now, I think that if it is promoted, it will be very popular. ”

Someone immediately asked: "The book only came out this summer, and I haven't heard of any intention of publishing it overseas." ”

Wang Zhijie immediately said: "They have this plan, Li Xiang came today, in fact, he just wants to discuss with you the overseas publication of "The Old Man and the Sea", you are an expert, he is a newcomer, and he needs to ask you more questions." Isn't this good? Delay you a little time, let's eat 10 minutes later, and now I invite Li Xiang to come in and tell you about the book "The Old Man and the Sea" and also listen to his plans for overseas publishing. ”

Everyone said that it was no problem, and it didn't matter if you ate later. Everyone is a smart person, and they immediately knew that Wang Zhijie was praising Li Xiang and "The Old Man and the Sea", and they all gave face, even if they didn't give him face, they rushed to the book "The Old Man and the Sea", and everyone was happy to recommend it.

There was no need for Wang Zhijie's instructions, and a staff member immediately went to the next office to invite Li Xiang, who had been drinking tea all morning.

Soon, Li Xiang pushed the door in, appeared in the conference room, smiled and bowed to everyone first, and said, "Teachers, I'm sorry to delay everyone's time, I'm Li Xiang......"

10 minutes is not enough at all, lunch is a buffet, when Li wants to eat, there are always people around, this is finished chatting with him, and other people come over immediately.

Wang Zhijie said to Li Xiang with relief: "Everyone recognizes you very much, and you can listen to the suggestions you make, they are all based on experience." ”

Li Xiang said: "I will, many suggestions just solved my doubts." ”

Wang Zhijie said: "You have signed a contract with a French publishing house?"

Li Xiang said: "Yes, I just signed the contract yesterday, and the agency of "The Old Man and the Sea" in Europe was handed over to them. ”

Wang Zhijie said: "The French Goncourt Literary Prize will be selected in November, do you have any ideas? If you have ideas, you have to work hard to do public relations." ”

Li Xiang said: "I think of it with you, we are already doing work." ”

Wang Zhijie's eyes lit up and he asked, "How is it? Is there any progress?"

Li Xiang said: "I only signed the contract yesterday, and the work has just been planned. ”

Wang Zhijie: "Then you have to hurry up, there are not many left, and the list of the Japanese Gongcourt Literary Prize will be announced." ”

Li Xiang said: "It is true that the time is very tight, the time for the release of the new book is less than half a month, and it is not realistic to rely on the market heat to attract the attention of the jury, so now I am looking for a relationship and handed "The Old Man and the Sea" to the old gentlemen of the Goncourtin College." ”

Wang Zhijie pondered for a moment and then said: "Tomorrow there will be a symposium on the theme of 'Literature and Cultural Vitality', which is of a very high standard, and our ministers will participate, as well as cultural officials from 12 countries, including senior officials from the French Ministry of Culture. If you don't have time, you can add one of you and participate as one of the representatives of writers in China. That's all I can help you, and it's up to you what you can do when you get to the scene. ”