“I love stinky tofu, but I also love cheese. I love eating Chinese steamed bun, but I also love butter and bread. Based on the Chinese culture, France nourished me in another way. The deep culture communication exposes me to many wonderful landscapes.” Professor Du Qinggang, Dean of School of Foreign Languages and Literature of Wuhan University, tweeted on his SinaWeibo on November 14th, the day after he was honored with French Officer Medal for Education, also called French Order of Academic Palms. .
Group photo at the ceremony
Li Fei, Vice President of Wuhan University, Mr. Luo Wenzhe，the new Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy in China, Ma Tianning, the French Consul General in Wuhan, and prof. Du’ s = friends and students attended this award ceremony to celebrate this glorious moment.
Professor Li Fei gave a speech to congratulate Professor Du Qinggang on being awarded this medal. He said Du was such a wonderful educator and writer who deserved this honor with no question.
Vice President Li Fei gave a speech at the ceremony
By retrospecting Professor Du’s life, the French Consul General Ma Tianning spoke highly of Du Qinggang’s achievement and appreciated his contribution to French literature with his great talent and hardwork.Mr. Ma mentioned in the speech that before Professor Du’s new novel Zi Xing Tian Xia, he had published a novel written in French--Le Président Mao est mort and made a hit in the“Top 20 Literary Works in French” billboard the same year of its release. “The Nobel Prize might knock on Professor Du’s door someday”, the Consul General said in full expectation.
The French Officer Medal for Education was awarded by Consul General Ma Tianing after the speech. The luminous gold medal decorated with noble purple ribbon shows the honor, achievement, acknowledgment and also expectation. From a gifted man like Professor Du, we can expect more literary works.
The French Consul General Ma Tianning awarded Professor Du Qinggang the honor
Later Professor Du expressed his great gratitude to all of the attendants at this ceremony, “Thank you so much for your presence, your supports, your trusts and your congratulations!”Professor Du finally thanked his families , espacially his wife, who poured cold water on his arrogance but gave support and warmth while he was at the low point in life.
Professor Du also mentioned next year he would publish the Zi Xing Tian Xia in French , whose foreword was written by Jean Marie Gustave Le Clézio, the winner of Nobel Prize in Literature in 2008. “I want to concentrate on writing one or two literary works which can stand the test of time,” he said at the end of his speech.
Vice President Li Fei invited all the attendants to raise their glasses and toast Professor Du Qinggang for his award.
(Photo by Yue Hu, Edited by Editing Group & Sijia)
