Category: Translation

The best of Chinese fiction and nonfiction in translation, both old and new

Translation

Three Sketches of Peter Hessler

Wu Qi

An American writer in China, by Wu Qi – translated by Luisetta Mudie

This piece, exploring the Chinese public’s many visions of Peter Hessler and the China he sees, is the first in a series of four translations of long creative non-fiction essays that first appeared in Chinese in Dandu (单读) Magazine and are translated in collaboration with Read Paper Republic. Subsequent essays from Dandu will run on Fridays over the following weeks. To support further translation such as this after the series ends, give now to our translation drive by donating to our Patreon page.
  1. The Big Meet-and-Greet

Hessler’s here. He has had three books published in China since 2011, and this is his first major meet-and-greet session with his readers here. Some say he’s the voice of the proletariat; the author of a Little Red Book for a new era. Put bluntly, more than just admiring the American author, Chinese people worship Hessler. Carrying English-language editions, traditional- and simplified-character editions – as if bringing different versions of holy scripture – they form a long line, waiting for Hessler to sign them.

Essays, Translation

Gone But Not Forgotten

Lü Pin

Why Feminist Voices will never die in China – Lü Pin

Read the original Chinese text of this article here: 女权不死

From the evening of March 8 until March 9, the public Weibo and Wechat accounts of [the Chinese women’s rights media platform] Feminist Voices were successively deleted for “violating regulations” and “spreading sensitive content,” without specifying what regulations were violated and what sensitive content was included.

Such vague and incontestable claims have been used as grounds for deleting tens of thousands of accounts from the Chinese internet. In comparison, the deletion of Feminist Voices, an account with only 250,000 followers, is too inconsiderable to mention. But this action sent an important message to the Chinese feminist community. Feminist Voices was the first public platform to use the word “feminism” in its name on Chinese social media, and moreover, it has played a leading role in feminist communities since 2011. Its disappearance suggests that feminism has become an unwelcome presence for Chinese internet censors, another set of banned characters marked in red.

Translation

Happy and Me

Jia Pingwa

Jia Pingwa on the origin of his novel – translated by Nicky Harman

One afternoon three years ago, I was at home reading Journey to the West and thinking that the monk Xuanzang and his three disciples were really four different sides of the same person, when suddenly there was a loud rapping at the door. These days, when everyone has telephones, it is rare for a visitor to turn up unannounced. I wondered who it was. I was not expecting anyone. I deliberately waited a while before opening the door, to indicate my displeasure at this uninvited guest. Knock, knock, knock, the noise came again, getting louder with each rap. Finally, there was a thud as someone kicked the door. Indignant, I flung the door open.

Translation

The Plight of Writing

Jia Pingwa

An undelivered speech by Jia Pingwa

"Facing eternity, or the lack of it, each day."

It is strange to think that these words, spoken by a foreigner so long ago, could describe our current situation so well.

When an author first starts writing, they value craft and skill. Eventually, though, stamina – and things learned from personal experience – are what really matter. Today a writer’s vision is more important than ever.