Editor's note:

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the China-US Ping-Pong Diplomacy, a historic episode that paved the way for the normalization of bilateral relations.

To revisit the journey of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, this series features interviews with representative figures from the fields of sports, culture, economy, current affairs, and education — all of whom have contributed to China-US exchanges over the past 55 years.

With more than four decades in the voice acting industry, Ding Jianhua has captured the subtle rhythms of China-US cultural exchange, giving Chinese audiences access to rich, multifaceted portrayals of life in the United States through her voice.

Throughout her career, Ding has brought to life some iconic US film characters, including Francesca Johnson in The Bridges of Madison County, Susan Wheeler in Coma, and Joey Drayton in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.

"The ultimate goal of a dubbed film is to provide Chinese audiences with the same emotional experience as foreign audiences," she said.

For Ding, dubbing is not simply the conversion of one language into another; it is an act of cultural interpretation and emotional alignment.

That sense of cultural resonance has convinced her that art can cross borders more powerfully than any formal exchange.

"I am not imitating foreigners; rather, I am using Chinese ways of expressing emotion to convey the inner world of foreigners," she said.

Through her voice acting, Ding transformed the open, genuine, and natural expressions of ordinary US people in those films into language and emotions that Chinese audiences could understand and resonate with.

"I opened a window for Chinese audiences to see the US."

Within the world of sound, Ding has become a bridge between Chinese culture and that of the US.

"Art can blend the common emotions of humanity," she said, summing up a career devoted to connecting people through voice.

Source: Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries