A GRANITE statue of renowned translatorFuLei was unveiled in his childhood home ofZhoupuin the Pudong New Area to commemorate the 113th anniversary of his birth.

The statue outside theFuLei Library showsFu, wearing a scarf, a long gown and a pair of glasses, sitting in an upright posture. It was designed byShengYang, the artist who had created a sculpture and souvenir medals commemoratingFuand his wifeZhuMeifu.

It was slightly drizzly, but people didn’t leave after the statue was unveiled. They stood in a queue to lay roses, Fu’sfavorite flower, at the statue.

LuDongsheng, Party chief ofZhoupu,said Fu’sspiritwas alive inthe town. “We have createdthe FuLei Culture Foundation, renovated his former residence and built a library and archive to commemorate him. We have a kindergarten, a primary school and a middle school that are all named afterFu.

“AsFuwas a renowned translator, we’ve been holding translation competitions for several years. And we are now collecting family letters from our residents asFuwas known for his letters to family and friends,” Lu added.

Next, it is intended to find out more aboutFu’selder son, pianist Fou Ts’ong.

Better known to many Western readers by the nameFouLei,Fuis highly regarded for his translations of French writers, including Balzac and Voltaire.

He was born in a traditional courtyard house inHangtouTown in Pudong. In 1912, he moved with his mother toZhoupu, where he lived and went to school until he was 19 years old.

“FuLei’s Family Letters,” first published in 1981, has influenced generations of Chinese teenagers. It has sold over 1.1 million copies worldwide.