Yang Jiang was born on July 17, 1911 in Beijing. No ceremonies for the birthday; for many years she has shied away from the media but is alert and loved by her readers. Born a few months before the Revolution of 1911, she went through the whole modern history of China and this (great …) grandmother of literature is also admired for the modern couple she formed for 63 years with one of the most … Lire la suite
Rice is the first global cereal for human consumption. This crop has shaped the landscape of plains, carved the mountains and deeply influenced the civilizations that developed around the rice fields, particularly in Asia.
This is why the new edition of the novel by the Malaysian writer Shahnon Ahmad, “Rice”, was an opportunity to read again this beautiful text with in perspective a novel with the same title, “Rice”, by the Chinese writer Su Tong… Lire la suite
Su Tong is one of the writers shortlisted for the prestigious “Man Booker International” prize. A short book which has just been published “On a Bicycle” (1) is a good example of a talent that you may also enjoy in a few months when will be published in French a good novel (2) already translated into English and award-winning in Asia.
A dream, the “Booker International” prize :
The prize, endowed by the Man … Lire la suite
A remarkable book allows the non-specialist to find a good summary of the work of the philosopher and sinologist François Jullien, but also to follow his thoughts on many current topics: the evolution of Chinese power, human rights, decline in Europe, the role of the media …
Nicolas Martin and Antoine Spire, former journalists at the radio “ France Culture”, are the authors of many books. Their “China, the dissidence of François Jullien,” includes an … Lire la suite
Not much is said at this moment about the Sino-American writer Ha Jin, in my view a major writer; his book ” War Trash ” is one of the most remarkable novels I’ve read in recent years. Good news, his latest novel, “A Free Life”, his first text on Chinese migrants in the United States, will be translated from English by Editions du Seuil In Paris, next september; we’ll come back on this.
“A … Lire la suite
The first collection of short stories by Yiyun Li has just been translated into French (1). We already mentioned it in August 2008 at the time of the release in France of Wayne Wang’s film “A Thousand Years of Good Prayers,” inspired by the short story, title of the collection. Amazed by the talent of a writer, totally unknown in France, I even contacted her for a telephone interview.
Having won many prizes in the … Lire la suite
The “Booker International Prize”, sponsored by the Man Group, is awarded every two years, for all his work, to a writer in English or translated into English. It complements the Man Booker prize, the English “Goncourt”.
The list of 13 selected for the international prize has just been published, it includes well-known writers such as John Le Carré or Philip Roth, but also for the first time two Chinese writers: Wang Anyi and Su Tong … Lire la suite
After Eileen Chang, it was quite natural to read Wang Anyi, even if she does not appreciate being compared to this writer of the 1940s. A little book has just been published in France “In Search of Shanghai” (1). The publisher P. Picquier has done much to make Wang Anyi known. Apart of the three “Loves”, small novels, almost classics, he has published one of the finest pieces of contemporary Chinese literature “The Song of … Lire la suite
Bi Feiyu has just received, in Hong Kong, the Man Asia 2010 Literary Award; an amount of USD 30 000 for his novel “Three Sisters”. This book was translated into French (1) in 2004, for Editions Philippe Picquier by Claude Payen and recently translated into English (2) by Howard Goldblatt and Sylvia Li-chun Lin who will share 5 000 USD.
This is the third Chinese writer winning the prize after Jiang Rong in 2007 for … Lire la suite
A few months ago was mentioned the posthumous triumph of Eileen Chang with the success, fifteen years after her death, of three autobiographical works: “Little Reunion,” available only in Chinese, “The Fall of the Pagoda (1) followed by “The Book of Change (2), written in English.
The quality of these two books is such that it was interesting to analyze the wide variety of topics and events related to the author’ s life.
An autobiographical … Lire la suite
A few months ago was celebrated in China, the anniversary of the birth of the great playwrighter, Cao Yu (1910-1996) and last week in London, his stepdaughter, Dr Ruru Li (1) from Leeds University, organized for a few days an exhibition and lectures at SOAS ( London University). Finally, in Paris, on Friday February 25 will be presented by Luisa Prudentino “The Savage Land”, a film by Liang Zi based on the play by Cao … Lire la suite
Originally published on Rue89 – 02/07/2011 –
Chinese novelist and journalist Xinran continues her work that allows the voice of women in China to be heard. With her latest book, “Message from an unknown Chinese mother “(1), she deals with energy and empathy with a huge taboo: women who abandon their daughters for adoption in Europe or the United States. Meeting in Paris with a commited Chinese woman.
In Nanjing, a famous radio programme.
Xinran … Lire la suite
If you have been won over by night markets in Asia or in China, by their noise, their smell, their open-air restaurants, you’ll love this book.
The last book of Chinese novelist Chi Li has been translated: ” Life Show” tells us, in Wuhan, in the street of Good Omen, the life of a young woman, Cele (celebrity) and her restaurant well known for its duck necks, the local specialty.
Cele, Head of Family:
Cele … Lire la suite