Imagine growing up 30 kilometers from the Chinese border, hearing stories of cross-border friendship from your grandpa. That’s how Kulaev Nikita’s lifelong China obsession began 🌱. The Russian scholar, now a Peking University PhD candidate, credits his family’s three-generation bond with China for shaping his path as a translator of Chinese classics like Journey to the West.
Nikita’s journey started with childhood bedtime tales about China being Russia’s “good neighbor” – fueled by his mother’s work in cultural exchange programs. A gifted Chinese textbook from her work trip became his treasure: “Those characters felt like secret codes,” he laughs. Fast-forward to today, and he’s decoding literary masterpieces while brewing boba tea between classes 🧋.
What keeps him going? “Every translation feels like building bridges,” Nikita says. His story isn’t just about language – it’s a TikTok-worthy saga of how curiosity becomes legacy. For global culture lovers and Mandarin learners, it’s proof that borders fade when characters come to life ✨.
