Week16 - LI MENGCHEN Reflection on Wikipedia Translation

 What I Did   （Qiu Hongda     Suicide of Xi Shangzhen）

Over the past few weeks, I translated two Chinese Wikipedia articles into English: one about Qiu Hongda, a Chinese dissident known for his public statements, and the other about the Xi Shangzhen suicide case, a tragic incident that sparked social debate. This task went beyond simply converting words between languages. I had to interpret meaning, ensure neutrality, and present the information clearly to an English-speaking audience unfamiliar with the context. I also worked on formatting references, organizing the structure, adding appropriate links, and selecting relevant categories to help the articles meet Wikipedia’s editorial standards.

What I Found Meaningful
This experience gave me a deeper appreciation for the role of translation in making knowledge more accessible. Although I was working with existing material, transforming it into something readable and informative in another language made the process feel creative. It was especially meaningful to deal with topics that are sensitive or underrepresented in English-language media. I felt like I was building a bridge between two audiences. It was also exciting to see how the research and writing skills I gained throughout the semester could be applied to real-world projects like this one.

What I’m Still Thinking About
I'm curious how readers interpret these articles—particularly those who have no prior knowledge of Chinese politics or society. Are there places where I could’ve provided better context or avoided cultural assumptions? It also made me wonder: how many important stories remain untranslated and invisible to global readers? In the future, I’d like to explore how translation can be used as a tool for advocacy and education, not just information sharing. As a final thought, I wonder what other students experienced this semester that made them feel challenged, engaged, or empowered the way this project did for me.

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