A classical soul

Poetic moments

In a short video of Hinov attending an online seminar, he talks in Chinese in a gentle, leisurely voice, with pauses from time to time, while looking for a literary or philosophical expression. In the video, he describes himself as someone who finds poetic moments in life and cherishes them.

In childhood, Hinov liked to create graphic symbols. He once designed a personal set of patterns of Bulgarian letters, which, in later years he pleasantly discovered, looked like Chinese characters. The kung fu novels he read, praising the chivalry of the swordsmen and their pursuit of justice and concern for all, reminded him of Bulgarian cultural legacy.

My Country and My People, a prose anthology by Lin Yutang (1895-1976), a Nobel nominated Chinese writer, which Hinov translated, introduced Chinese culture and society, especially people's thinking, longing and temperament with humorous writing.

Hinov refused commercial cooperation requests after winning a third prize for singing at a national talent show in his college days, but kept his passion for Chinese songs, especially those borrowing lyrics from poems. He played the guitar, sometimes translating the lyrics and putting them online.

In 2013, he and his family moved to the Bulgarian countryside where he farmed, climbed mountains and strolled after work, living a similar life to one of his favorite poets, Tao Yuanming of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420).

He was also learning traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese musical instruments.

Apart from compiling two Chinese-Bulgarian dictionaries, his original translation plan－lasting a decade into the future－included Tao's anthology, The Four Books, The Book of Songs and the classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which apparently resonated with him.

Xu Donghao, from Beijing-based Chinese Culture Translation and Studies Support Network, who got to know Hinov in 2016, says despite getting infected in December, Hinov sent her the translation draft of Ruxue Liujiang ("six talks on Confucianism") by scholar and political visionary Liang Qichao (1873-1929).Sadly, Hinov was put on a mechanical ventilator by Christmas.

"My life is busy but tranquil. I know there are people supporting me and interested in what I'm doing, and feeling it as valuable and meaningful. That's enough for me," he once said.

Contact the writer at fangaiqing@chinadaily.com.cn