Yi Lijun (; 4 December 1934 – 7 February 2022), also known by her pen name Han Yi (), was a Chinese translator who had been honored by the Polish Government.
Yi was one of the foremost translators of Polish fiction. For her contributions to the introduction of Polish literature to foreign readers, she was honoured with the Polish Literature Order, the Knight's Cross (2010), the Outstanding Contribution to Promote Polish Literature Award (2007) and the Transatlantic Prize.
Biography
Yi was born in Huanggang, Hubei in December 1934. She started publishing her works in 1952.
In 1954, after graduating from Wuhan University, she was sent abroad to study at the expense of the government, she entered Warsaw University, where she majored in Polish language and literature.
In 1962, Yi returned to China. She taught Polish at the Department of East European Language, Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Yi joined the China Writers Association in 1988. She died in Beijing in 2022.
Works
The History of Poland Literature () Poland Literature ()
Translations
The Knights of the Cross () With Fire and Sword () The Deluge () The Captive Mind (Czeslaw Milosz) () () () () Pan Tadeusz () (Adam Mickiewicz) () Glory and Vainglory (Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz) () Ferdydurke (Witold Gombrowicz) ()
Awards
Polish Literature Order
Polish National Education Committee Order
The Knight's Cross (2000), by Polish President Aleksandr Kwasniewski
Bing Xin Literature Prize
National Book Award
Outstanding Contribution to Promote Polish Literature Award (2007), by the Polish Foreign Minister The Cross of Military Officers of the Republic of Poland (2011), by Polish President Bronisław Komorowski Transatlantic Prize (2012) Lifetime Achievement Award in Translation (2018)
Personal life
She was married to a Chinese physicist, Yuan Hanrong (), he also was a graduate of Warsaw University.