As a Chinese/ English conference interpreter and an educator of the next generation of language professionals, I am delighted to have the opportunity to write a foreword for this book. The trans lation and interpreting studies literature from China has made great contributions in many areas, particularly on the concepts of fidelity, equivalence, and cultural transfer, with a special emphasis on the language- specific challenges faced by interpreters working with the Chinese language, the dynamics of cross- cultural exchange across vastly different cultures, and the role of translation and interpretation in shaping Chinese intellectual and cultural traditions as well as perceptions of China and Chinese people. This volume, which examines the history, settings, modalities, educa tion, evaluation, and future trends of Chinese interpreting, helps to deepen the understanding of China’s unique contributions to the study and practice of interpretation. However, what strikes me about the themes and content of this book is not the uniqueness of the issues faced by interpreters working with the Chinese language and culture, but rather, the uni versality of many of the themes and ideas explored herein. For instance, in the chapters focused on the history and settings for Chinese interpreting, including interpretation for non- English lan guage pairs, the contributing authors examine the role(s) and position(s) of interpreters in a range of historical contexts and professional settings. These discussions invite the reader to reflect upon how interpreters are always navigating much more than the differences between two languages and cultures; the act of interpretation is always deeply affected by the peculiarities of the context in which the interpreters find themselves working. Such factors can affect which modalities are appropriate, where the interpreter should be positioned in the room, what register to employ, how to navigate ethical and advocacy issues, and the like. Interpreters need to thoughtfully recognize what factors play a role in each context in which they interpret, and how these can impact their decision- making as they navigate liminal spaces. The exploration of these issues in these chapters reveals many universally applicable frameworks for handling the elements beyond language and culture that all interpreters must navigate. The chapters on the modalities, education, and evaluation of Chinese interpretation help to deepen understanding of what modalities are needed in what settings, and how the Chinese inter preter education system, aptitude testing, and exit testing for interpreters have evolved over the years to meet changing needs. These discussions relate to the ongoing dialogue among interpreter educators everywhere about what skills students must have before they begin their training, how to properly assess these skills, the proper balance of skills training and testing in MA programs for written, sight, consecutive, and simultaneous modes, and how to properly assess interpret ation skills both for graduating students and professionals in the field; of course, ultimately, the proper balance depends on what skills are needed in the job markets in which professional interpreters work. But this is a rapidly shifting landscape, so it is important to engage in continuous re- assessment of what skills are needed for the different segments of the job market, and to make continuous adjustments to the training and assessment of those entering those market segments. Again, the discussion in this book of Chinese- specific scenarios has many elements that can have universal application. In the chapters on the future trends in interpreting, I am glad to see the forward- looking focus on computer- assisted interpreting, the impact of generative AI, and the observations on an “out ward turn” in Chinese interpreting studies that sees interpreting as a vital socio- political and histor ical shaping force that is well positioned to contribute meaningfully to other areas and disciplines in the Chinese context and beyond. As I suspect is the case for many readers of this book, I am discouraged by an increasing number of industry outsiders (and insiders!) expressing doubt that human translation and interpretation has any future at all, saying that translators and interpreters should simply accept defeat and hand the job over to artificial intelligence. However, I firmly believe that, while it is clear that many aspects of the translation and interpretation industry are being radically changed by the strides being made in generative AI and other technologies, the language professions will not go away – they will just change in nature. The same is true for interpreting studies research – through forward- and outward- looking approaches such as those we see in this book, a more meaningful and engaged interdisciplinary path can be forged. In conclusion, this volume’s in- depth examination of issues specific to Chinese contexts and interpreting not only sheds light on unique aspects of Chinese interpretation and interpreting studies, but also offers universal lessons in how pedagogical, institutional, and professional practices can (and must!) adapt to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world. I recommend this book to interpreter educators, researchers, and practicing professionals of all language combin ations interested in deepening their knowledge of interpretation history, settings, modalities, edu cation, assessment, and future trends.
