President Moon Jae-in gives a copy of a simplified Chinese version of his autobiography, ‘Moon Jae-in’s Destiny,’ to Peking University Council Chairman Hao Ping (right), at Peking University on Dec. 15. Pictured on the left is Peking University President Lin Jianhua. (Yonhap News)
By Xu Aiying and Sohn JiAe
President Moon Jae-in’s autobiography, “Moon Jae-in’s Destiny,” has been published in simplified Chinese.
Cheong Wa Dae announced on Dec. 12 on its official Facebook profile that Dec. 8, when President Moon had a sit-down interview with China’s state-run China Central Television (CCTV), marked the day when the first edition of the president’s book was published in China. “The title in simplified Chinese is ‘Myeong-oon' (명운, 命運),” Cheong Wa Dae wrote.
In the preface, President Moon wrote, “I hope this book will help to deepen the friendship and mutual trust between Korea and China, and help us to march hand-in-hand as we head forth together.”
The book tells of his personal and political life, full of ups and downs, from his time in jail, in the special forces, and his service as a human rights lawyer, through to his service as presidential chief of staff and presidential secretary for civil affairs under the Roh Moo-hyun administration, and his becoming president of Korea.
Some of China’s major news outlets -- The Paper, Phoenix New Media and Sina News -- as well as the Hong Kong Commercial Daily reported on Dec. 16 that the book is not only about his own personal history, but also about Korea's modern history.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, too, brought up the book in his summit with President Moon on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in July in Germany, saying, “I was deeply impressed by the way the president quoted in his book the ancient Chinese saying that, ‘The waves to the back of the Yangtze River drive the waves ahead' (Janggang hurang chu jeonrang, 장강후랑추전랑, 長江後浪推前浪).”
Pictured is the cover of the simplified Chinese version of President Moon Jae-in’s autobiography, ‘Moon Jae-in’s Destiny,’ published by the Jiangsu Fong Hong Literature and Art Publishing House. (Fong Hong Media Co., Ltd.)
xuaiy@korea.kr
