Q&A: Languages expert Dong Li explains the ‘living’ craft of translation

Through Princeton’s Program in Translation and Intercultural Communication (PTIC), students can take courses about (and minor in) translation, attend topical lectures and receive funding for translation projects. Every semester, the program, which is housed within the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies (PIIRS), also hosts a translator-in-residence. PAW sat down with the fall 2025 resident, Dong Li, to ask about his work.

Li was born and raised in China, came to the United States for his bachelor’s degree in comparative literature and his master of fine arts degree in creative writing, and then settled in Germany, where he has lived for more than a decade. He primarily translates Chinese poetry into English, but also translates from English, French, and German. He’s currently working on several projects, including translating his own forthcoming poetry collection — The Bench, a follow-up to his debut, The Orange Tree — from English into German. He hopes to encourage more students to explore translation.