In Han Cadres Required to Learn Tibetan Language, the Global Times reports that Xi Jinping and company are getting serious about implementing the “bilingual policy” (藏、汉双语方针) that was legislated in Tibet way back in 1987: Mastery of the Tibetan language will become a requirement for non-native cadres in China's Tibet Autonomous Region. All seven prefecture-level … Continue reading Bilingual Han Cadres: Coming Soon to Tibet Autonomous Region?
Note to “The Diplomat” and Shannon Tiezzi: Uyghur is Not a Dialect of Chinese
In her Dec 24 analysis of a document designed to guide China’s future ethnic policies, China’s Prescription for ‘Improving Ethnic Work’, Shannon Tiezzi makes a reference to “local dialects”: The document attempts to address governance and policy issues as well, starting with the sensitive topic of language. Beijing reiterates that all officials, including those from … Continue reading Note to “The Diplomat” and Shannon Tiezzi: Uyghur is Not a Dialect of Chinese
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
Altaic Storytelling 