Jun Liu and I have completed our translation of a novel, 凿空, by Liu Liangcheng, a Han author born and bred in the part of northwest China that borders on Central Asia. The novel’s working title is The Audible Annals of Abudan, but the Chinese title can be rendered as “Hollowed Out.” Ms. Yvonne Wang … Continue reading Trilingual Links to Writing by Xinjiang’s Liu Liangcheng (刘亮程)
Tag: Jun Liu
The Audible Annals of Abudan: Chapter by chapter breakdown
The Audible Annals of Abudan Chapter-by-Chapter Outline (42 in total) Prologue Donkey’s Hee-haw Donkeys bray crimson, and their crimson bray has propped up the sky for Abudan in southern Xinjiang for centuries. When Zhang Jin comes home stone deaf from a mine, he finds the village smothered in police sirens. 1 Digging Two decades of … Continue reading The Audible Annals of Abudan: Chapter by chapter breakdown
Synopsis: “The Audible Annals of Abudan” (梗概：《凿空)
Synopsis: The Audible Annals of Abudan (Based on the Chinese novel by Liu Liangcheng) Within your lifetime, many things will disappear before your eyes. Only those you yearn for won’t arrive. … Continue reading Synopsis: “The Audible Annals of Abudan” (梗概：《凿空)
“Audible Annals” — Quick Takes
A novel with donkeys as heroes? Unlikely as it sounds, The Audible Annals of Abudan is a great read. Comic, but with very dark undertones, this is a satire about a side of China (or at least its far-western fringes) that will be unfamiliar to readers, and an eye-opener. The translation is lively and the narrative is … Continue reading “Audible Annals” — Quick Takes
Donkeys Bray Crimson
驴叫是红色的。全村的驴齐鸣时村子覆盖在声音的红色拱顶里。 驴叫把鸡鸣压在草垛下，把狗吠压在树荫下， 把人声和牛哞压在屋檐下。 Donkeys bray crimson. When donkeys cry in concert, a crimson vault of sound envelopes the village. It keeps the rooster’s crow under the haystacks, the dog’s bark under the trees, and the human voice under the eaves. 狗吠是黑色的，狗在夜里对月长吠， 声音飘忽悠远，仿佛月亮在叫。 羊咩是绿色的，在羊绵长的叫声里， 草木忍不住生发出翠绿嫩芽。 鸡鸣是白色的，鸡把天叫亮后， 便静悄悄了。 Dogs bark black. When a dog howls … Continue reading Donkeys Bray Crimson
And this is a donkey we’re talking about
That was when the village distributed farm fields to each family by drawing lots. One day, Yüsup’s donkey was walking past Qurban when it farted right in his face. Qurban swung his ketmen and gouged the donkey’s back, leaving a deep gash. Yüsup was indignant. “A donkey’s just an animal,” said Yüsup. “It doesn’t know … Continue reading And this is a donkey we’re talking about
Abudan’s Mazar
The significance --- and even the definition --- of 麻扎 (mazar) plays an important role in Abudan Village, as portrayed in Liu Liangcheng's novel, The Audible Annals of Abudan (《凿空》刘亮程 著). In its first appearance in the tale, the narrator briefly defines it in brackets: . . .一块棉花地和一片麻扎（墓地）。 Simply put, mazar = cemetery. But that equivalency … Continue reading Abudan’s Mazar
Alat Asem’s 《时间悄悄的嘴脸》: Guide to Related Links
Alat Asem’s Confessions of a Jade Lord 《时间悄悄的嘴脸》阿拉提·阿斯木 著 Translated by Bruce Humes and Jun Liu Author's Background 阿拉提·阿斯木_百度百科 Literary Bio Présentation: Alat Asem (en français) Book Reviews Turkey's Sabah: A Gem of Uyghur Literature Academic Papers 翟晓甜 张治安:阿拉提·阿斯木的超越与创新——读《时间悄悄的嘴脸》 Renditions of the Novel Chinese original: 《时间悄悄的嘴脸》 Excerpt: Rechristening a High-rise (Chapter 19) The Translation Process Co-translating … Continue reading Alat Asem’s 《时间悄悄的嘴脸》: Guide to Related Links
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