From Scarborough to Shaanxi – a Sinologist’s journey into the depths of Chinese culture

British scholar Robin Gilbank arrived in China in 2008, expecting the new – but not the future. Landing at the gleaming Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport just after the Olympics, he felt as if he had traveled through time. Yet it was the local buses of Shaanxi, the overheard conversations and the raw, living dialects that truly shaped his understanding of the country. 

Now an acclaimed translator of Shaanxi literature – including The Backstage Clan and Yellow Gold – and a professor at Xijing University, Gilbank sees AI as a companion, not a rival. He insists, however, that the soul of translation remains human. From city buses to QR codes, he has witnessed China's profound transformation while championing its literary roots.

Gilbank urges young translators to read widely and stay close to original wording rather than seeking easy foreign equivalents. "Features of language and features of communication like that can really give people a feeling of authenticity," he says, "as if it is the real thing they're encountering."

He also has a simple message for young people: go. “Just take a jump into the unknown, and see how it goes.” Gilbank's journey is a story of mutual discovery – one where China and a young man from Yorkshire chose each other.

Executive producer: Zhang Jingwen

Producer: Yang Sha

Directors: Lu Wei, Wu Chengxuan

Video editor: Lu Wei, Chen Qingxuan

Videographers: Huang Zepeng, Yan Tao 

Cover photo: Liang Qian, Pei Zihan

About the series

CGTN's interview series "East Encounters West: Talk to Sinologists" highlights the dedication of scholars who bridge Eastern and Western understanding and explores how traditional Chinese philosophy offers valuable insights into today's global challenges, promoting harmonious coexistence. 

For more:

PAGE X: Seeing the world through a new lens