Feng Jicai [Photo by Wu Changqing/Asianewsphoto]

Chinese author Feng Jicai was honored Wednesday in Russia's cultural capital St. Petersburg with the publication of a bilingual edition of his works.

Feng, a well-known writer, artist and calligrapher, was on hand for the launch at St. Petersburg State University. The event was also attended by over 100 local sinologists and members of the Chinese community in St. Petersburg.

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In his speech at the ceremony, Feng spoke fondly of his relations with his recently deceased Russian translator Nikolai Speshnev and celebrated the role of Russian literature in the development of China's own literary culture, particularly in the mid-20th Century.

Feng said his energy and focus has shifted away from individual artistic creation towards greater social engagement in an effort to salvage the best of endangered Chinese folk traditions.

At the end of the ceremony, Feng presented copies of his works to the Chinese Consulate-General in St. Petersburg and signed copies of the new bilingual edition titled "Flight of the Soul".

The Confucius Institute at St. Petersburg State University also took the opportunity to present the Chinese Consulate-General with a series of scholarly books written by local sinologists in recent years.