Visiting professor Fu-Shiang Chia of Saltspring Island will discuss the translation of millenium-old Chinese lyric poetry into English on Aug. 20, 5 p.m., in the U.W. Friday Harbor Labs Commons.

The event is free.

The professor’s latest book, “Airs of the States, from the Shi Jing” is a trilingual translation of the world’s oldest collection of lyric poetry, parts of it dating back more than 3,000 years.