Arab businessman's books boost cultural exchanges

Ahmed al-Saeed never imagined that his life in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region could be so fulfilling.

In the last three years, Ahmed has built a family and a career in Ningxia. He is married to a Chinese woman, studies at a local university and has even opened his own company, which translates Chinese books into Arabic and provides Arabic language training for local residents.

Ahmed was fascinated with China and its culture when he started studying at Al-Azhar University in Cairo in 2001, the same year that the university launched its first Chinese language degree program.

"I had originally planned to major in German when I graduated from high school," he said. "But when I found out that the university had opened its Chinese major, I chose it in the hope of learning more about China."

Ahmed was introduced to Ningxia in 2010, when he was working as a tour guide. After bringing tourists to the region, Ahmed was asked to provide an Arabic translation for the official website of the first China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum, which was held in Ningxia that same year.

Ahmed also served as an interpreter at the forum, as well as worked as a cultural advisor for the regional government. These jobs inspired him to make greater efforts to promote cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries.

"I wanted to let more Arabs know about Ningxia within a shorter time. I wanted to tell them that Ningxia is an autonomous region for the Hui ethnic group, as Hui people are Muslims, just like many Egyptians. They share the same culture and customs as we do," he said.

To achieve his goal, Ahmed needed to know the locals better. He chose to move to the regional capital of Yinchuan, where he enrolled at Ningxia University to obtain a doctorate in ethnology.

By 2011, while still in university, Ahmed opened his own company in Yinchuan. Wisdom House Culture & Media Co.. Ltd., which he named after the House of Wisdom -- a library and translation institute founded in Baghdad more than 1,300 years ago -- is intended to follow the same path as the ancient Baghdad institution.

"We chose this name because we wanted to do the same things that the original institute did. We want to bring Chinese culture to the Arab world and vice versa," he said.

Over the past two years, Ahmed and his team have translated 17 Chinese books, 11 of which have been published in Arab countries.

The books, which mainly focus on the history, culture, architecture and literature of the Hui ethnic group, have won praise from Arab readers.

Ahmed has set a goal of translating 200 Chinese and Arabic books within the next five years. The Chinese books will cover topics like Chinese culture, history and economy, with a focus on modern China's reform and development, he said.

"Arabs are eager to learn more about China's economy and development," he said.

Ahmed's company is also working in the copyright arena. As a general agent of the Arab Publishers' Association in China, Ahmed has witnessed first-hand the Chinese government's efforts in promoting Chinese-Arab cultural exchanges.

"China's opening-up policy has been good. It has given strong support in terms of boosting foreign exchanges," he said.

For Ahmed, language is one of the most important tools in conducting effective cultural exchange. To that end, his company offers Arabic language and etiquette training for both children and adults Arabic learners.

Ahmed said learning Chinese has transformed his life.

"Chinese has played a major role in my life. It is through Chinese that I came to China, started my own business, got married and eventually built my life," he said.

With a stable career and a happy family life in Ningxia, Ahmed has come to regard the region as his second home.

"I feel fulfilled here. What I have been doing here is something that will influence others in the long-term," he said. "It is not like doing business: you just pay for what you want, and that's all. The books we translated and are translating may still be valuable 20 years from now."