Thoreau, Civil Disobedience and Chatting with Guóbǎo

Murong Xuecun, author of Leave Me Alone Tonight, Chengdu, was in Australia when several intellectuals and activists got together in Beijing this year to commemorate the anniversary of the 1989 "June 4th Incident." Several of those who were there have since been arrested, such as civil rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang (浦志强), and in order to call … Continue reading Thoreau, Civil Disobedience and Chatting with Guóbǎo →

“Lost Lands of Paradise”: 库尔德村子的故事

I wrote this novel because I wanted to tell the story of a people whose voice is not heard, whose language is not recognized, whose story is not known, who is despised and degraded,” 土耳其籍库尔德作家 Yavuz Ekinci 写道。他的愤怒是有根据的。80 年代以来，为了对付东南边武装分裂库尔德工人党（PKK）的游击战，土耳其中央政府曾动用了200,000 军队，也宣布了戒严，同时进行了镇压库尔德文化的政策，例禁止用库尔德语授课、出书、播放节目等。最近几年，所谓 “库尔德问题” 有了一些进展，而且双方今年正在进行和平商谈。也许《The Lost Lands of Paradise》（原文：Cennetin Kayıp Toprakları）得以出版跟这个缓和有关。故事由三个部分组成：第一部分是从土耳其东南边的库尔德小村子的小孩的角度叙述的；第二部分由他还在世的祖母讲；最后的部分是用第三人称描绘祖母死后，尸体送回家乡埋葬的事。当中孙子和他父亲发现，原来她不是库尔德人，而是有亚美尼亚血统。这是土耳其共和国社会建立 … Continue reading “Lost Lands of Paradise”: 库尔德村子的故事 →

Ethnic Literature in China: A Primer for the Uninitiated

A while back I came upon what seems to be a fairly comprehensive look at novels by non-Han writers published since 1949 that deal directly with issues of culture and identity. Entitled Ethnic Minority Novels (少数民族小说), the Chinese-language article is unfortunately not signed, but it appears to have been written by a scholar and published … Continue reading Ethnic Literature in China: A Primer for the Uninitiated →

Teaching of Minority Languages in China a Touchy Subject

There is a sizable population of Tibetans in truly multi-ethnic Yunnan, and I was keen to take advantage of this and learn a bit of Tibetan alongside my studies of classical Chinese in Kunming back in 2012. The head of my private language school had difficulties finding a teacher, however, because he utterly refused to … Continue reading Teaching of Minority Languages in China a Touchy Subject →

Elif Şafak’s New Novel: A Great Ottoman Architect, An Elephant and His Keeper

Dec 7 2014 update: Review of The Architect's Apprentice The author of eight novels including the best-selling and controversial Bastard of Istanbul, Elif Şafak, has just launched her ninth—Ustam ve Ben—in Turkish. The title literally means “My Master and I.” Curiously, though she wrote it in English, according to Sunday’s Zaman (Homage to Mimar Sinan) … Continue reading Elif Şafak’s New Novel: A Great Ottoman Architect, An Elephant and His Keeper →

现代土耳其语文学：中文版本（表）

现代土耳其语文学：中文版本（表） (2016 年 7 月更新的) (欢迎更新、纠正) 为了更齐全的资料，请访问当代土耳其文学译著迷你数据库土耳其作家名中文译著书名译者土耳其原名／其他已出版版本注释 Hande Altaylı Maraz / Suferință / Affliction 将由上海文艺出版社出版 Aşka Şeytan Karışır / Djalli Luan Me Dashurinë Oya Baydar 奥娅·巴依达尔失语唐江、孙伊 Kayıp Söz / The Lost Word 已由上海文艺出版社出版。此项目由土耳其文化部文学翻译基金会 (TEDA)资助。 Erguvan Kapısı / Das Judasbaum Tor 将由上海文艺出版社出版 Reha Çamuroğlu Bir Anlık Geçikme / … Continue reading 现代土耳其语文学：中文版本（表） →

“Time Regulation Institute”: English Version of Tanpinar’s Classic to Launch

Arguably the greatest Turkish novel of the 20th century, Saatleri Ayarlama Enstitüsü has been translated into English as of January 7. Writes Istanbul-based Kalem Agency: The Time Regulation Institute, true to the style of modernity, exposes the dominance of time over modern man's life and their ever-changing relationships. The ebb and flow of time guides … Continue reading “Time Regulation Institute”: English Version of Tanpinar’s Classic to Launch →

King Gesar Update: Academics Congregate, but Septuagenarian Bard Struggles to Pass on the Tradition

One-third of the extant written versions of the Tibetan epic King Gesar (格萨尔王) make a reference to Maqu County in Gansu (玛曲), leading Chinese experts to believe it may be the historical birthplace of the epic. But according to a report on Chinanews.com (说唱传承人), only one bard residing there is capable of performing the saga. … Continue reading King Gesar Update: Academics Congregate, but Septuagenarian Bard Struggles to Pass on the Tradition →

“Empresses in the Palace”: Wrong Message for Guileless Western Audience?

Various media including The China Daily (Bring Asian Magic to US) have reported the rumor—as yet unconfirmed---that China’s crowd-pleasing 76-part TV series Empresses in the Palace (甄嬛传) may soon be recut and dubbed in English for re-broadcast by a US firm. The TV adaptation of the historical novel of the same name depicts the intrigue … Continue reading “Empresses in the Palace”: Wrong Message for Guileless Western Audience? →

Translator of Best Sellers “Kite Runner” and “Conversations with God” Incenses Fellow English-to-Chinese Decoders

So much for the invisible translator. With the launch of his Chinese renditions of classics whose copyrights had expired (新译本), such as The Old Man and the Sea (老人遇害) and The Great Gatsby (了不起的的盖茨比), Li Jihong (李继宏) has managed to infuriate a host of fellow translators, hommes de lettres and even would-be readers. Partly due … Continue reading Translator of Best Sellers “Kite Runner” and “Conversations with God” Incenses Fellow English-to-Chinese Decoders →