Feng Zikai (1898-1975) played an important role in the modern Chinese art scene. This is brought to our attention by “Color of Clouds” (1), a book that includes drawings and many of his essays and comments, translated for the first time and presented by Marie Laureillard-Wendland. A very personal style, the “manhua”: Born in Shimenwan…
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Originally published on Rue89 – 11/13/2010 – If there is one area where France is not declining and is well positioned, it is that of the number of books translated from foreign languages, and the quality of translations. This is particularly true for Chinese literature, who has just lost one of its major translators, Liliane…
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As Lu Xun said: “Marx was still able to write” The Capital “in the middle of crying children, so he was a great man …” (1). This sentence came to my mind while reading Feng Zikai’s essays (2) on which I will come back soon and reminded me that this group of friends in the…
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Originally published on Rue89 – 11/01/2010 After Mo Yan two years ago, the Chinese writer Han Shaogong was awarded the Newman prize for Chinese literature from the University of Oklahoma. The selected writers: Yu Hua, Su Tong, Ge Fei and Li Ang were strong competition. His translator, Julia Lovell, a member of the jury, convinced…
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As mentioned in an article for Rue89, “A Dictionary of Maqiao” just won the Newman prize in the United States. This surprising book led to some turmoil when it was published in China in 1996 (1). Two Chinese critics explained that this dictionary is a plagiarism of “The Khazar Dictionary” by the Serbo-Croatian writer Milorad…
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Originally published on Rue89- 10.10.2010 The Muséum of Quai Branly in Paris is presenting an exhibition of outstanding quality on the civilization of the Straits Chinese in Singapore and Malaysia. For the first time in Europe, 500 pieces of the Asian Civilisations Museum of Singapore are presented and some aspects of the traditional houses have…
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Following the likely intervention of Chancellor Angela Merkel, to whom he had written a letter, the writer Liao Yiwu was allowed to travel to Germany for the Frankfurt Book Fair and to meet his readers. His translator in France, Marie Holzman, was able to arrange his coming to Paris and led a discussion in the…
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Originally published on Rue89-10/01/2010 . For several years, names are listed for the Nobel Prize for Literature: Yang Lian, Bei Dao, Duo Duo, three poets, well known and praised worldwide. We met Yang Lian in London earlier this year, at a symposium devoted to his friend Gao Xingjian the Nobel Prize. The release in France…
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Cao Wenxuan is a professor of literature at Beijing University, he has published over fifty short stories and novels, some of which have become classics in the school curriculum. He publishes magazines, anthologies and participates in the development of programs and books for schools. He is also known for his writings on literature and is…
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Originally published on Rue89 -09/27/2010 – The gold rush in California and Australia has generated significant Chinese migrations. Quite unknown are the migrations fom the Canton area to the “New Gold Mountain”, New Zealand, which began around 1866. Limited numbers since in the 1890s, a maximum of 5000 Chinese (including nine women!) Inhabited the country.…
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