2014: Year of the Chinese Literary Prize (Scandal)?

“If 2013 was ‘Mo Yan Year’, then 2014 was ‘Year of the Literary Prize’ ” writes Chen Mengxi (陈梦溪) at the Beijing Evening News. Indeed. It’s got the makings of a good scandal: transparency and fairness of the voting were loudly questioned in social media, new-fangled prizes not sponsored by the state --- or even … Continue reading 2014: Year of the Chinese Literary Prize (Scandal)? →

Critics Diss List of “Most Influential” Translated Chinese Fiction, Caution Authors to Target their Compatriots

If the headline had read “Overworked Foreign Librairians Opt for Mai Jia’s Popular ‘Decoded’ Over Chinese Classics” probably no one would have noticed. But the table was captioned “Globally Most Influential Contemporary Chinese Literature in Translation in 2014” (2014 年世界影响力最大的中国当代文学译作). In China, perhaps nothing strikes a nerve more sharply than foreign perceptions — and ranking … Continue reading Critics Diss List of “Most Influential” Translated Chinese Fiction, Caution Authors to Target their Compatriots →

China & “King Gesar”: Challenges of Putting an Oral Epic to Paper

In a Q & A (艺人及其抢救) with Dr. Yang Enhong, Yao Hui of the Institute of Ethnic Literature (China Academy of Social Sciences) succeeds in extracting fascinating details about how Drakpa (གྲགས་པ།，扎巴), a master storyteller (说唱艺人) of the Tibetan oral epic King Gesar was discovered, and his performances preserved in audio recordings and in written form --- … Continue reading China & “King Gesar”: Challenges of Putting an Oral Epic to Paper →

Launched: Collection of Contemporary Kazakh Poetry & Fiction in Chinese Translation

Readers can now purchase the 374-page volume featuring 41 pieces of fiction, most translated from the original Kazakh into Chinese (中国当代少数民族文学翻译作品选萃－哈萨克族卷). This is part of the Chinese government’s official translation project (“民译汉”), initiated in 2013, which aims to make writing by ethnic minority writers available to Chinese readers nationwide. This represents a change … Continue reading Launched: Collection of Contemporary Kazakh Poetry & Fiction in Chinese Translation →

Definitions of “Chinese” Literary Works in Expansion Mode?

An intriguing picture of what constitutes Chinese literature (中国文学) emerges via an interview with Bai Gengsheng (访中国作协书记处书记白庚胜), a Naxi who has held several senior positions in the state-run ethnic minority literary research apparatus, including his current role as Secretary of the China Writers Association. In the interview with Chinese Reading Weekly (中华读书报), Bai says: In … Continue reading Definitions of “Chinese” Literary Works in Expansion Mode? →

“Life of a Mimic”: Xinjiang Writer Addresses Sensitive Question of Self-identity

The latest session of the Lu Xun Literary Institute’s training in creative writing for minority writers recently convened (第15 期少数民族创作培训), and I found myself sifting through the names of the trainees. That’s because participation is a milestone of sorts that presages future stardom: You join the state-run China Writers Association, get published in a prestigious … Continue reading “Life of a Mimic”: Xinjiang Writer Addresses Sensitive Question of Self-identity →

Who’s Afraid of Malala: “I Am Malala” and China’s Nobel Prize Complex

Malala Yousafzai will be speaking today in Oslo at the official ceremony where she will be awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, together with Indian children's rights activist Kailash Satyarthi. Like people all over the world, people in Taiwan were eagerly reading her story, I am Malala, a year ago. In Chinese (我是马拉拉), if they … Continue reading Who’s Afraid of Malala: “I Am Malala” and China’s Nobel Prize Complex →

“Most Influential” Chinese Literature in Translation: 2014 Ranking by International Library Purchases

A list of this year’s 20 so-called “most influential” Chinese literary works in translation has been published by Xi’an Daily (西安日报), and widely republished on the Chinese Internet. What follows are a few factoids I’ve gleaned from this version (影响力最大) at Chinanews.com. The full top 20 for 2014 can be found in Chinese here. The … Continue reading “Most Influential” Chinese Literature in Translation: 2014 Ranking by International Library Purchases →

Missing vs. “Disappeared”: NYT Translation on Detained Chinese Citizens Blurs the Line

In Few Clues in Chinese Editor’s Detention, Didi Kirsten Tatlow reports on the recent arrest and detention of Caixin Media editor Xu Xiao (徐晓) and NGO staffer Liu Jianshu (柳建树). Both went missing for at least five days before it was learned that they had been arrested and are now inside Beijing Number 1 Detention … Continue reading Missing vs. “Disappeared”: NYT Translation on Detained Chinese Citizens Blurs the Line →

Writers React to Comrade Xi Jinping’s Foray into Literary Criticism

It has taken a bit of time, but Chinese authors have begun to publicize their reaction to Xi Jinping’s speech at the Beijing Oct 15 Forum on Literature and Art Work. While slavish praise has been appropriately abundant, a handful of Art Workers do not appear to be singing in unison. We’ll skip the former … Continue reading Writers React to Comrade Xi Jinping’s Foray into Literary Criticism →