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| Subscribers to the magazine at the Brazil
Sao Paolo International Book Fair. |
Good Source of Information on China
I am an employee of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
I have been an avid reader of China Today for a considerable
period of time. Your magazine is a good source of information
for me.
Here in Sri Lanka, we cannot purchase your magazine
or any other Chinese cultural products such as music cassettes
and books in markets. Therefore, I must go to the Chinese embassy
in Colombo to collect magazines like China Today, Beijing
Review, Women of China, China Pictorial, China and the World Cultural
Exchange.
Last August (Vol. 55, No. 8), you published a
good article about Monk Xuanzang and his journey to India. Last
November, China Pictorial published another article
about him to commemorate the China-India Friendship Year. For
me, and for most Sri Lankans, Xuanzang is no stranger. Sri Lanka
is a Buddhist country, and has been for more than 2,200 years.
We received the good message of Buddhism during the reign of the
Indian Emperor Asoka, who was a contemporary of your first emperor,
Qinshihuang.
This month, on February 7, we celebrated the 50th
anniversary of Sino-Sri Lankan diplomatic relations. To mark the
occasion, our president visited your country. He met with Hu Jintao
and other leaders. I have also heard that he presented a large
Buddha statue to the Lingguang Temple in Beijing, and donated
a baby elephant to the Beijing Zoo.
I have also had an opportunity to contribute to
an event myself ¡ª on February 7 I delivered a speech on China's
economic reforms at the Central Bank's auditorium.
Sino-Sri Lankan relations go well beyond Xuanzang's
expedition. I am sure you have heard about Monk Fa Xian. He traveled
to the West and sailed to Sri Lanka more than 200 years before
Xuanzang's journey. We have translations of his records too, which
is published as The Travels of Fa Xian and Sung-yun Buddhist
Pilgrims from China.
I want to learn more about your great country,
its culture, and your society. I also want to work with you to
share your cultural values with our people. I feel that this is
a good year for Sri Lanka and China. In this landmark year, I
want to do something to fulfill my dream. Then, it will be a real
journey to the East!
Waruna Chandrakeerthi
Sri Lanka
