Uncle Li's full name is Li Ruocheng, and he has been engaged in translation work for more than 30 years.

Even if I lived in a cowshed many years ago, I didn't go a day without translating books.

The old man, who never likes to copy the literal meaning, has always insisted on using beautiful and appropriate words to interpret the original meaning of the original work.

Therefore, whenever he completes the translation of a book, Mr. Li Ruocheng must be both physically exhausted and sad.

Although the translation of "The Little Mermaid" in my hand is almost over, I have always been haunted by the translation of the title.

Now listening to Jiang Shan's casual call, I feel that it is wonderful.

Jiang Shan felt that the old man asked very strangely: "Isn't it just a sentence in English, why are you so exquisite?" What else is translated as ......"

Suddenly, he realized something: "You can't always translate this book, do you?" ”

Li Ruocheng immediately put on his black-framed glasses again: "That's right, it's not just it, I've turned more books!" ”

The neighbor's old couple has a strong bookish atmosphere, and anyone can see it next door.

But it was the first time that Jiang Shan knew that the old man had this hobby.

Jiang Shan immediately asked: "So you are always a translator?" There must have been quite a few original books? ”

At this point in time, what he can't stand the most is the pastime that doesn't pass the time.

There are very few readable books on the market.

"Translators don't dare to claim it, but the most important thing at home is books, I love to buy them, and the publishing house often sends them over,"

Li Ruocheng's words interrupted Jiang Shan's divergent thinking, and he continued: "There are a lot of original foreign books, but you can really understand it? ”

Hearing the old man mention the publishing house, Jiangshan's eyes were bright.

I was still thinking about how to connect with the publishing house, but I didn't expect the noble person to be around.

At the end of the 70s, don't look at how happy the later generations said one by one, it was as if anyone who came could become Wang Shi.

As everyone knows, this is the most reckless stage.

But Jiangshan knows that there is a way, and although the money is not fierce, it is stable.

In 1978, the publication of comic strips began to resume in various places.

Jiang Shan thought in his heart that the highlight moment of the villain book should come in a while, and he would have something to do at that time.

In my previous life, I had a wide range of hobbies, and the most money-burning thing was the cost of collecting villain books and comic books.

The most painful thing is a set of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" published in 1979, a complete set of 60 volumes, which cost him a full 350,000.

It is said that the original sketch of this set of books was auctioned for more than 10 million yuan.

According to the original artist's recollection, at that time, they did not pay attention to the recycling of sketches at all, and most of them were regularly sold as scrap by the editorial department.

Isn't the era in the mouth of the original artist now?

What's more, in the previous life, Jiangshan's love for villain books was not limited to collecting villain books.

During his time in college, he copied almost all the villain books from the 70s and 80s that he could see on the market.

Library, library, thrift stalls......

In those years, I could see Jiangshan classmates with sketchpads on their backs every day in these places.

It was also during that time that Jiang Shan learned that as early as the end of the 70s, the remuneration for an illustration or cover was as high as 10 to 20 yuan.

The remuneration for a page of comic strips is 5 to 8 yuan, think about how much you have to get paid for a picture!

Some well-known art students in Qingmei became 10,000 yuan households early by helping the publishing house draw illustrations and comic strips.

What was the concept of 10,000 yuan households at the end of the 70s?

As a result, painting villain books has also become a short-term employment direction for Jiangshan.

"You did read this book, right?" Li Ruocheng patted the book on his lap: "But where did you read it?" It can't be in the youth point. ”

"Of course not," Jiang Shan smiled: "You may not know that I am working in a printing factory now, and some time ago I found a box of books in an old warehouse of the unit, including several original English books. ”

"There's this book in there?"

"Yes, but the version is different, but the box of books disappeared after about half a year, and I don't know where it went."

The reason why Jiang Shan said this is to let others know that he has not only read some books, but also imported books.

Speaking of which, I have seen some different scenery.

Even if you accidentally leak your mouth in the future, you can make up for it.

Li Ruocheng listened to these words and felt that it was reasonable.

"That must have been taken away by someone else," he said firmly: "Now that the country has resumed the college entrance examination, many people are making up for English." ”

The old man suddenly thought of something: "You just said that the version of the book is different, is it different from the English name of this book?" ”

"Same,"

Jiang Shan paused slightly, and thought about how to explain to the old man:

"It's true that the title of the book is The Little Mermaid, but when I was in the country, an older brother taught me that if the English sentences are particularly awkward to read, I can read them with my own understanding in context."

"That's right,"

Li Ruocheng fully agrees with this:

"It's just that you can say it casually, but when it comes to translation, you have to go through it word by word...... You kid has some talent for that. ”

Li Ruocheng will look at the third child of the Jiang family again, and the more he looks at it, the more pleasing it becomes: "The daughter of the sea~ Yes, it's really good!" ”

When it came to his profession, the old man's words were obviously more.

Jiangshan is also enjoying it.

What he didn't expect was that "Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales" had come to our country as early as 1909.

At that time, "The Little Mermaid" was first translated as "Sea Princess".

The translation is very good, but the compiler of the time added his own ideas when translating this fairy tale, that is, adapted it.

The original Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale was full of the charm of Aunt Qiong Yao.

The editorial department of this era, although they have not yet appreciated the blood of Qiong Yao's drama, they also feel that it is time to retranslate this fairy tale again.

As a result, Mr. Li Ruocheng, the resident translation editor of "Pujiang Foreign Languages Publishing House", naturally took over this task.

The publishing house was very relieved of the old man's translation skills, and only put forward two requirements: speed and respect for the original work.

"Now that I've almost translated this story,"

Li Ruocheng said with a smile: "But when I think of the title of this book, I can't lift my spirits, fortunately, I met you Jiang Laosan today, hahaha......"

While the two were talking, Li Ruocheng's wife Li Huaiying walked out of the house with a cup of hot tea.

She was surprised to find that her old man's face was stretching a rare smile.

So he moved a small chair and sat aside.

Jiang Shan was really taken aback: "There was this book in 1909?" So someone has already started translating the original book? ”

"There are all earlier than this," Li Ruocheng took the tea handed over by his wife: "But it wasn't until around 09 that vernacular translations began to appear." ”

"Oh!"

Li Ruocheng continued: "After that, until more than ten years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the demand for the introduction of original books has been at a high level. ”

Li Huaiying, who is also a translator, also added that "at that time, the state was very encouraging and supportive of translators. ”

After speaking, she and Li Ruocheng looked back at their big tiled house at the same time.