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Nanfang Metropolis Daily: The Series of Overseas Chinese Studies has had a 36-year history since its inception. How do you view the influence of the series in the academic and public spheres?

Kang: The series was launched in 1988 and has continued for 36 years. With the motto "Discovering China beyond its borders," the series is designed to systematically translate and introduce the research achievements of overseas sinology, giving us a more comprehensive understanding of Chinese history and culture through international perspectives. To date, a total of 232 books have been published, making it a flagship of Chinese academic publishing.

One high-quality work after another presented to Chinese readers has formed a complete knowledge system and played an important role in the development of humanities and social sciences in China. They have established a strong reputation in the academic, reading and publishing circles.

Professor Tang Xiaofeng, the translator of the book Inner Asian Frontiers of China, said, "The Series of Overseas Chinese Studies reflects the high level of international sinology, withstands the test of time, and demonstrates strong academic vitality." Renowned scholar Professor Xu Jilin said, "Without the projection of overseas perspectives, there would be no present-day Chinese studies." Over the 30-plus years of the series, it has witnessed the iterative development of Chinese academia.

Over 300 translators have participated in translating the series, many of whom have become pillars and key figures in the Chinese academic community. Many readers of the series have also embarked on their own academic paths after being inspired by this series.

Nanfang Metropolis Daily: How are topics selected for this series? Which fields of overseas sinology research does the series focus on?

Kang: The key reason the Overseas Chinese Studies Series has been able to last for 36 years is its commitment to academic quality as its top criterion. The series covers a wide range of topics from the era before the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) to contemporary times, including politics, economics, society, culture, technology, medicine, and more. The series includes classic works by overseas academic experts, as well as the achievements of academic stalwarts and emerging scholars. Looking back at these 232 titles, most are works that have stood the test of time in their respective academic fields.

Since its initial publication, the series has had a strong awareness of the pulse of the times and problems, focusing on contemporary China's changing landscape and actively responding to the questions of the times.

The first book published in the series was The Modernization of China, aligning with the grand theme of reform and opening-up at that time.

As reform and opening-up continued to deepen around the turn of the century, profound changes occurred in Chinese society, leading to the emergence of works such as The Great Divergence and Hygienic Modernity that revolve around new economic, social and cultural phenomena.

As the country entered a new era, it calls for advancing the construction of an ecological civilization. The series introduced works like The Retreat of Elephants: An Environmental History of China, reflecting on environmental issues in a timely manner. The book starts with changes in the habitat of elephants, expounding on thousands of years of the environmental history of China and winning the Wenjin Book Award that year.

Nanfang Metropolis Daily: Are there any new publications coming out this year?

Kang: In 2024, the Overseas Chinese Studies Series will unveil some significant works. Firstly, the fourth edition of the "From the Soil Series" will feature selected classic works by sinology experts such as William Skinner and Prasenjit Duara, offering an understanding of evolution of the times from a micro perspective. Secondly, the "Art Series" will specifically introduce research achievements in Chinese arts from overseas academia, starting with Mi Fu and The Upright Brush: Yan Zhenqing's Calligraphy and Song Literati Politics. Lastly, a notable standalone book is Herself an Author by Canadian sinologist Grace S. Fong, focusing on women's literature in the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911), which required a reprint just two months after publication.

Nanfang Metropolis Daily: In your view, why do overseas sinologists study China? What insights can their research bring us?

Kang: From my perspective, contemporary sinologists study China because people are always interested in the world outside. For example, Joseph W. Esherick was interested in Chinese culture and continuously familiarized himself with Chinese culture and society by learning the Chinese language. Looking at the social background, as the world becomes increasingly interconnected, academic research on others gradually emerges. Thus, we have a group of sinologists. We may not all agree with the research of sinologists, but because they have different perspectives and mindsets, they look at things that we Chinese may overlook, providing us with different reflections and insights, which is of a great value. What's more, they are also part of different academic and ideological contexts, which may "collide" with domestic academia, stimulating the thoughts of domestic scholars.

(The Chinese version of the interview was published on Nanfang Metropolis Daily on June 21 by reporter Huang Qian)