A generational odyssey
For nearly a century, a single family has committed itself to bridging the Chinese and Greek cultures, Li Yingxue reports.
In China, there exists a remarkable family whose legacy stretches across three generations, all bound by a singular, noble pursuit: the deepening of cultural bonds between China and Greece.
This family’s story was mentioned in an article by President Xi Jinping, published in the Greek newspaper Kathimerini (The Daily) on Nov 10, 2019, during his visit to Greece.
The piece shines a light on the Luo family’s unparalleled dedication to bridging two richly historical nations.
At the center of this saga is Luo Niansheng, a name now synonymous with the meticulous translation and passionate study of Greek literature and drama.
Alongside him, his son Luo Jinlin and granddaughter Luo Tong — imbued with the same fervent spirit of intellectual curiosity and cultural diplomacy — continue to weave this intergenerational tapestry.
Since the 1980s, Luo Jinlin has revitalized Greek drama in China with his father’s translations and innovative Chinese opera techniques. Luo Tong further bridges the two cultures by promoting Chinese studies in Greece, establishing its first private Chinese cultural center and interpreting for Chinese diplomats.
Together, they have not only contributed to the global appreciation of classical and contemporary Greek works, but also laid the foundation for a friendship between the two nations, built on the mutual respect and understanding of each other’s cultural heritage.
Grandfather, the translator
Luo Niansheng was born in 1904 in a village in Weiyuan county, Sichuan province. He studied at Tsinghua University and later became a government-sponsored student in the United States. However, he decided to leave his studies and his imminent degree to pursue his passion for Greece, becoming the first Chinese student to do so.
Learning Greek was no easy task, with its complex grammar and alphabet, but Luo Niansheng’s love for the language helped him master it in just a few years.
After completing his studies, he returned to Sichuan in 1936 to teach. Luo Jinlin recalls seeing his father immersed in books all day — teaching English during the day and translating Greek works at night.
Luo Niansheng’s deep commitment to Greek literature was like a profound dialogue with ancient Greek civilization. “Opening books of Greek literature every morning is my greatest joy,” he once said.
From publishing his first translation of the Greek tragedy, Iphigenia in Tauris, in 1936, until his death in 1990, he dedicated nearly his entire life to translating Greek literature.
He left behind nearly 10 million words in translations and papers, including over 50 ancient Greek literary and artistic works, such as Aristotle’s Poetics, and Rhetoric, and a collection of Greek epigrams.
Even in his final days, he was translating Homer’s epic The Iliad. Luo Niansheng once humorously commented on his potential epitaph: “If it must be written, let it be this — ‘Devoting my life to translating Greek dramas was trouble enough.’”
In December 1987, the Academy of Athens gave Luo Niansheng its highest award for literature and art. A year later, the Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences gave him an Honorary Doctorate for his significant contributions to the study and dissemination of ancient Greek culture.
Luo Jinlin fondly recalls that his father’s dedication to translating Greek literature was balanced with a humble lifestyle. His father’s desk was a simple bed board, and he used the same wooden chair for decades. In his leisure time, he enjoyed walks in Zhongshan Park in Beijing and playing bridge with family and friends during holidays.
Despite returning from Western studies with progressive ideas, his father maintained traditional attire, even wearing an old cloth robe to teach in the 1960s when it was uncommon. “He never imposed his views on us; instead, he encouraged us to develop freely,” Luo Jinlin says.
Father, the director
As a child, Luo Jinlin often assisted his father in copying books. However, he wasn’t interested in the stories then; he was just motivated by the reward — a popsicle.
“When I joined the Central Academy of Drama, my first class was on Western theatrical history, including Greek drama,” he recalls. His teacher for the class was a student of his father. Through studying, he gradually developed a deeper understanding of Greek drama.
In 1985, as Luo Jinlin rehearsed Oedipus Rex, his then 81-year-old father willingly offered to serve as the production’s literary adviser. Despite the freezing temperatures, he passionately explained ancient Greek history and the drama to the actors.
The next year, Oedipus Rex premiered at the Central Academy of Drama’s experimental theater, marking the Chinese mainland’s first performance of an ancient Greek tragedy.
It received wide acclaim from audiences, leaving Luo Niansheng overjoyed. “After 50 years of waiting, I finally see this masterpiece shine on our stage. A dream come true,” he wrote.
Oedipus Rex was performed over 20 times. After just its fifth show, the Greek government formally invited the company to perform in Greece. Building on this success, Luo Jinlin directed several other ancient Greek plays translated by his father.
“Ancient Greek dramas are rich in perspectives, and offer deep insights into human nature and society, even after 2,500 years,” Luo Jinlin observes.
His dedication to Greek drama aims to showcase its lasting relevance, emphasizing themes of truth, goodness, and beauty, and celebrating humanity.
Plays like The Trojan Women criticize war and champion peace. The Women at the Thesmophoria advocates for gender equality. And Oedipus Rex prompts self-reflection. Luo Jinlin seeks to highlight the contemporary issues and human concerns in the plays.
“For decades, the challenge of my work has been to see if drama from two very different cultures and times can merge. It’s about creating a mix, like coffee with milk, where elements of one are found in the other,” he explains.
He finds his solution by merging the beauty and techniques of Chinese opera with the drama of ancient Greek plays, creating a blend of two ancient cultures for today’s world.
His adaptation of Medea into Hebei Bangzi opera was a huge hit internationally, and was performed over 250 times. It was so popular that it even outshone a performance by the famous Italian opera singer Luciano Pavarotti, which took place on the same street in Milan, with audiences filling the corridors of the theater.
“Foreign audiences really enjoy our plays and often struggle to get tickets. In Colombia, a mother and daughter shared a ticket to see it, one watching the first half, the other the second, showing just how popular it was,” Luo Jinlin says.
He explains that Chinese opera’s expressive power, with its abstraction and symbolism, displays a rich Asian beauty. Ancient Greek drama, known for its profound themes and solemnity, provides depth and impact. He aims to fuse these qualities, not just mix them, creating a blend where the sum is greater than its parts.
“Drama acts as a mirror to human life. Exploring the interaction and fusion between Eastern and Western theater has been enlightening for me. This journey has shown that different civilizations can coexist in harmony, complement and enrich each other,” he explains.
To date, he has directed over 100 productions, including 16 ancient Greek dramas. His work has reached audiences not only in China, but also across Europe, Asia, and Latin America, with over 300 performances worldwide.
In 2009, he was honored as an Ambassador of Greek Culture by the Athens government. Additionally, in January, he received the 9th Huilin Prize for his outstanding contribution to promoting Chinese culture internationally.
Despite being 87 years old, Luo Jinlin shows no signs of slowing down. He starts his day at 5:30 am, writing and teaching with dedication. This year, he plans to publish a comprehensive 300,000-word acting guide and to stage a production of Homer’s Odyssey.
The cultural ambassador
Influenced by the two generations before her, Luo Tong went to study in Greece before even finishing her undergraduate degree. Unlike her elders, she decided to introduce Chinese culture to Greece.
“My grandfather’s generation did a lot to bring Greece to China, but Chinese culture still lacks promotion in Greece, especially at the grassroots level. I felt it was my turn to take China to Greece,” she says.
After graduating, Luo Tong began teaching at the University of Athens. In 1992, with her encouragement, the university’s language school started offering Chinese language courses.
In 2001, Luo Tong founded the InterChina Cultural Center, initially focusing on teaching Chinese. Gradually, it expanded to include kung fu, calligraphy, painting and cultural performances, becoming the first — and now highly respected — Chinese cultural center in Greece.
“People used to say they studied Chinese out of curiosity for its ancient civilization. Now, besides curiosity and admiration, they see China as an emerging market with huge potential and as the future of the world. The closer the relationship with China, the better,” she says.
Nikos Kazantzakis, a prominent figure in modern Greek literature, who has visited China twice, famously said, “Confucius and Socrates were two masks on the same face of human logic”.
The Luo family’s experiences have repeatedly proven this profound connection.
In 1988, Luo Niansheng urgently needed medical treatment in Greece for a severe intestinal issue, but faced a dire situation because his rare blood type wasn’t available. Word spread, and over 200 Greeks came forward to donate blood, successfully finding a match.
Years later, when Luo Tong was studying in Greece, she learned that a Greek professor needed a blood donation. Remembering the kindness her grandfather received, she immediately went to donate.
In 2018, Luo Tong returned to China, after overseeing the widespread growth of Chinese language teaching in Greece. Back home, she also ventured into the theater industry, introducing foreign plays, assisting her father with his lectures and negotiating collaborations with theaters.
She and her father worked together on the ancient Greek comedy, The Birds by Aristophanes, bringing it to life on the stage of the National Centre for the Performing Arts.
They adapted the play to make it more accessible to Chinese audiences, using familiar Chinese names for the characters and incorporating Chinese paper-cut art, resulting in a surprisingly successful performance.
Luo Tong sees her father and grandfather as grounded individuals who, regardless of the world around them, have tirelessly worked toward their goals. “Their quiet dedication is a rare quality in our generation, which tends to be more impulsive and easily distracted. Their steadfastness is a silent but invaluable lesson to me,” she says.
Reflecting on her journey thus far, she says, “I once said that my grandfather had done everything there was to do in bringing Greece to China. I was wrong. Times change, and so do the needs and levels of exchange. Cultural exchange is an ongoing process; it’s never truly complete.”