From detective novels to diplomacy: An interpreter's secret weapon

At a reading dialogue themed "The Power of Reading" held to mark the 30th World Book Day, Tang Wensheng, adviser of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, shared how reading has influenced her career as an interpreter.

When Guyana's Prime Minister visited China in 1975, Tang, then-interpreter, faced a crisis—she knew nothing about the nation. In a race against time, she scoured library books to avoid a professional disaster, discovering that knowledge could be a last-minute lifesaver.

For Tang, interpreting wasn't just about language fluency but intellectual agility. To keep her skills from going rusty, Tang devoured English detective novels between assignments. The crisp dialogue and intricate plots kept her mind razor-sharp, proving even leisure reading could be professional training.

Watch the video to find out more, and you'll never underestimate a detective novel again.