Pakistan published in Islamabad Thursday the first-ever Urdu
version of the Analects of Confucius in the world.
Some 200 officials, writers, poets and students from both China
and Pakistan were present at the launching ceremony in the Pakistan
Academy of Letters (PAL).
In his welcome address, PAL Chairman Iftikhar Arif said that
Confucius was a great master and thinker, whose teachings and
instructions have played an important role in the development of
the Chinese culture.
Before Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Pakistan last
November, Arif said, the PAL started to translate the Analects
of Confucius from English to Urdu to reflect the Pakistanis'
affection to the Chinese people and culture.
In his speech, Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui said the Urdu
versions of the Analects of Confucius, the Selection from the
Chinese Poetry, and the Selection from the Chinese Literature
published today would add new symbolics to the Sino-Pak
friendship.
The Chinese ambassador hoped that writers and poets from China
and Pakistan would publish more and better writings to root the two
countries' traditional friendship deeper into the hears of the
peoples.
(Xinhua News Agency June 8, 2007)
