Yiyun Li: the difficulty of living with the memory of Tiananmen.

Yiyun Li à Paris photo B. Mialaret

Yiyun Li à Paris
photo B. Mialaret

Yiyun Li’s talent is now widely recognized; in a few years, she became a prominent author. Her latest novel, “Kinder than solitude” (ed. Belfond, September 2015), divided between China and the United States, shows the difficulties of a group of friends to live with their past.

We were able to meet her during her visit to Paris, where she participated in the World Writers Festival; she presents, after … Lire la suite

Murong Xuecun, an interview during the Leeds symposium on Chinese literature.

Murong Xuecun 4Murong Xuecun is 40 years old, he is one of the best known young Chinese writers; who, like Han Han and Annie Baobei, became famous with creative writing online.

1- “I am a criminal of words”.

Two novels (translated into French by Claude Payen), had tremendous success in China:  “Leave me alone, a novel of Chengdu” in 2006 and “Dancing in the red dust” in 2013. “Chengdu” is available in … Lire la suite

Eileen Chang, a Chinese “star” writer.

Eileen Chang 4In Shanghai, in 1943, a young woman of 23 years old is becoming immensely famous by publishing in a popular magazine, a serie of stylish short stories, sophisticated, tragic, sentimental … Perhaps, at that time, for readers a way out of bombing, thousands of victims and the Japanese occupation.

She is a star by her beauty and natural elegance. The quality, accuracy, sometimes the cruelty of her writing, makes her short stories the finest examples … Lire la suite

Chi Zijian, a Chinese memory of the Jews in Manchuria.

Chi-ZijianThe life of the Jews in Harbin, Manchuria, during the first half of the 20th century is a little-known episode that revives with talent the Chinese novelist Chi Zijian in “Good night Rose”. Three collections of her short stories had already been translated into French from 1997 to 2004. Two years ago, are published the short stories “All nights in the world” and a few days ago the novel “Good night Rose” . She is … Lire la suite

At the Guimet museum, the Han dynasty, the foundations of the Chinese civilization.

affiche Han GuimetWe did not mention many exhibitions in the Guimet museum in Paris concerning China, some of them were a bit disappointing, but it is without any reservation that we can recommend the exhibition ” Glory of the Han”, which celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France.

27 Chinese museums have lent more than 200 objects of importance and a remarkable work with the lay out and presentation was … Lire la suite

Yu Hua: deaths without burial, Chinese version.

Yu Hua sam_0547The Chinese writer Yu Hua, well known abroad with international hits such as “To Live” or “Brothers” is back in Paris for the launch of his latest novel “The Seventh Day”.

Seven years have passed since the release in China of “Brothers”, a period during which Yu Hua mostly wrote articles and essays including a remarkable collection that we mentioned in 2010, “China in Ten Words”.

He kindly answered once more our questions with the … Lire la suite

Mo Yan and tribulations of a Nobel prize in Provence

MoYanA few days ago, Mo Yan, the Chinese novelist, Nobel Prize for Literature in 2012, was in Aix en Provence and for the fourth time. Why such a loyalty? Mo Yan has not forgotten the support  provided for years by a group of academics, translators, publishers, many of whom live in Provence in the south of France.

For the last five years he had not visited France, the country which has translated and published the … Lire la suite

Wu Ming-yi, an ecological novel on pollution and the”seventh continent”.

Wu Ming -yi (4)It has been mentioned for a long time that huge amounts of plastic waste were floating on the oceans. This rubbish is concentrated in areas where different ocean currents converge. Since 1997, several scientific expeditions have identified an area of several million km2 in the Pacific Ocean 1000 km north of Hawaii (1); the dustbin of our consumer society …

An island of plastic waste is one of the major themes of a pleasant novel … Lire la suite

Qiu Xiaolong: “Blue Dragon, White Tiger”, a Chinese political thriller.

Qiu Xiaolong ParisWe often spoke of Qiu Xiaolong, a good writer and a pleasant character. His latest novel “Blue Dragon, White Tiger ” is a real success, a somewhat special investigation by Inspector Chen Cao as inspired by recent political events in China including the Bo Xilai case, a “red prince ” who has just been sentenced to life in prison .
Qiu Xiaolong will soon be in Paris to present his novel, a book which like … Lire la suite

Hwang Chun-ming: also for literature, Taiwan is not a part of China.

Hwang-Chun-mingHwang Chun-ming is one of the most famous Taiwanese writers. Born in Taiwan, attached to the island, to the ordinary people, the language and the culture, he is one of those who have supported the search of their roots.

The collection of short stories “I love Mary ” which has just been published (1) in a French translation, is an expression of his talent. It is uncommon, after a few months, to remember all the … Lire la suite

Murong Xuecun: a cynical novel by a corrupt lawyer.

Murong XuecunMurong Xuecun is not yet forty years old. He is one of the brightest writers of a generation which is now being translated.These writers, like Han Han and Annie Baobei, are born with the internet. Three years ago, I regretted the small number of translations of this young generation, therefore we can welcome the release of “Dancing in the red dust”, translated by Claude Payen who is also the translator of “Leave me alone: a … Lire la suite

A meeting with Liu Zhenyun: famine and loneliness

sam_0480_convertedZhenyun Liu is one of China’s best-known writers; many awards for his novels, a great success for the many films based on them. He was in Paris a few days ago to present two of his books: ” Remember 1942 ,” an essay on the famine in Henan Province and a novel: ” A word is worth a thousand words“, a text on communication and loneliness, which was awarded the main literary prize in … Lire la suite

Au musée Cernuschi à Paris, expo impériale pour les bronzes chinois.

oiseau_detailLe Musée Cernuschi à Paris présente actuellement une remarquable exposition de bronzes de la Chine impériale, des empereurs Song (960-1279) à la dernière dynastie des Qing.

Paradoxalement, ces pièces sont moins bien connues que les bronzes antiques car considérées comme tardives et imitant les modèles anciens ; le Musée Cernuschi avec plus de mille pièces en possède l’une des plus grandes collections au monde.

Ces objets sont certes moins spectaculaires que les bronzes de la … Lire la suite