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From Video Games to Literary Mastery: How a Brazilian Scholar Fell in Love with China’s Epic Saga
Meet Rud Eric Paixão, a PhD student from São Paulo whose childhood video game gift sparked a lifelong passion for Chinese culture. At age 10, Rud received Romance of the Three Kingdoms (known as Sanguo in Chinese) as a birthday present—a moment he calls 'the start of my greatest adventure.'
Now a translator and Chinese literature expert, Rud is bringing this 14th-century classic to Portuguese readers for the first time. 'I want Brazilian youth to feel the same excitement I did—to see Liu Bei’s loyalty or Zhuge Liang’s wisdom like they’re watching an epic Netflix series,' he laughs.
\"Without Sanguo, I wouldn’t have learned Chinese, studied in Beijing, or understood how stories can connect billions of people.\" – Rud Eric Paixão
Rud’s journey mirrors the novel’s themes of perseverance: balancing PhD research with translating 120 chapters, mastering ancient idioms, and even consulting Chinese gaming communities. His work highlights how classic literature remains in the TikTok era.
Why This Matters
As Brazil and China strengthen economic ties, cultural bridges like Rud’s translation help both nations see beyond trade stats. Next stop? He’s eyeing Journey to the West—because who doesn’t love a monkey king saga?
in the TikTok era.
