rofessor Zhu Weilie has devoted more than 50 years in Arabic language teaching and Middle East studies at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), with being awarded more than five national interpretation prizes.

Zhu, former director of the Department of Arabic, introduced Arab Islamic culture to China and advocated direct translation of Chinese-Arabic literature works to facilitate communication between China and Arab countries.

He translated Islamic and Arabic literature into Chinese for nearly two million words over the last 50 years, including the Holy Qur'an and the Broken Wings, China’s first direct translation from Arabic literature of the great Arab writer Kahlil Gibran in 1984.

In order to promote the global communication of Chinese culture, he has also dubbed videos such as “Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge”, “White-Haired Girl” and “Panda”.

In the past, the Chinese-Arabic translation usually relied on English versions of Arabic literature. “It is particularly problematic in translations of classical literatures,” Zhu emphasized.

Zhu also participated as an academic advisor of the Shanghai diplomatic lobby to the four Gulf states, aiming for the Shanghai Expo bid in 2002. During the visit, he served as the interpreter of the meeting with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Qatar.

When he taught in SISU, Zhu developed Arabic language teaching. He has shortened Arabic undergraduate course from five years to four years. He also supported the establishment of the Middle East Studies Institute, the only key base on the PhD program in foreign languages among the international program bases of the Ministry of Education.

Zhu has devoted himself to building think tank since 2000. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs established the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum Research Center at SISU in 2010. Two years later, he was appointed as the director of the Middle East Research Think Tank of universities in Shanghai.

Many students have become outstanding talents after studying with Zhu. Some of them are renowned scholars, diplomatic officials such as ambassadors and consul generals, and foreign correspondents.  

A national translation award of Saudi Arabia perceived Zhu as one of the most outstanding translators and scholars among the world.