Informal Northern Thai Group Bulletin 11 December, 2016
th 1. MINUTES of THE 411 INTG MEETING: Tuesday, 13 December, 2016: “Translating Chinese Culture”. A talk by Cindy M. Carter. 2. Next INTG meeting (412th): Tuesday, 10 January, 2017, 7:30pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai: “What is the Use of Old Books?” A talk by Graham Jeffcoate. th 3. February INTG meeting (413 ): Tuesday, 7 February, 2017, 7:30pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai: “Kindred Spaces: Painting Across Worlds” A Presentation by Amy D'Apice. 4. An Exhibition by Victoria Vorreiter on Hmong Music in Chiang Mai 5. List of Future INTG meetings. 6. INTG CONTACTS: CONVENOR - SECRETARY - WEBSITE.
th 1. MINUTES of THE 411 INTG MEETING Tuesday, 13 December, 2016 “Translating Chinese Culture”. A talk by Cindy M. Carter
1.1. PRESENT : Ian Baird, Hans Bänziger, Dianne Barber-Riley, Mark Barber-Riley, Tony Christiaens, Leo Ellis, Eric Eustache, Jennifer Gampell, Austin Gillanders, Verity Goitein, Reinhard Hohler, Warren Kinston, Peter Kouwenberg, Chris Lalanonne [?], John Melton, Patrick Morel, George Mumenthaler, Jenny Mumenthaler, Ran Shi, Horst Sitsch, Angelie Sitsch, Suriya Smutkupt, Colin Stratford, Dorothy Tarrant, Lennart Utterstrom, Rebecca Weldon, Alvin Yoshinaga. 27 signed. 31 were counted.
1.2. THE TALK
The translation of contemporary Chinese culture for a global audience holds different significance for different groups of people. For China’s leadership and cultural policy-makers, it signifies an opportunity to expand Chinese soft power and cultural influence, and to trumpet the achievements made by China over the past several decades. For China’s independent filmmakers, authors and artists, it signifies a conduit to a global audience, a means of attaining more artistic and financial freedom, and a space in which to explore a broader range of topics.
In this presentation are presented several case studies, drawn from a diverse translation practice, to illustrate some of the opportunities and challenges associated with translating Chinese contemporary literature and culture for a global and increasingly interconnected audience. I begin by describing the cultural context.
I. A BRIEF SURVEY OF CHINESE CULTURAL MILESTONES, 1976-2016
1976 Death of Mao Tse-Tung and arrest of the “Gang of Four.” The Cultural Revolution (wenhua dageming) comes to an end. 1978 Economic “Reform and Opening” policies (gaige kaifang) are introduced by Deng Xiaoping and other reformists. Most Chinese universities reopen (Beijing Film Academy, the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Peking and Tsinghua Universities, among others). Founding of Today (Jintian) literary samizdat publication by poets Bei Dao and Mang Ke. The rise of the “Misty” poetry movement (Bei Dao, Gu Cheng, Shu Ting, He Dong, Yang Lian, Mang Ke, Bei Ling, Chou Ping, Duo Duo, Fei Ye, Ha Jin, He Dong, others). Today magazine is shut down by the authorities in 1980, and revived years later as an overseas publication. The advent of “Scar Literature” (shanghen wenxue), a genre of fiction that explored the suffering and chaos wrought by the Cultural Revolution. 1979 Founding of the “Stars Group” (xingxing huahui) by artists Ma Desheng and Huang Rui. Other Stars artists include Ai Weiwei, Wang Keping, Li Shuang, Zhang Hongtu and Zhang Wei. The Stars artists hold an unsanctioned exhibition in a park next to the National Art Museum in Beijing. Early 80s The Stars Group disbands; some of the artists move overseas. The first post-Cultural-Revolution class of filmmakers graduate from Beijing Film Academy and begin making films. They are later dubbed the “Fifth Generation” of Chinese filmmakers (Chen Kaige, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Zhang Yimou, Li Shaohong, Wu Ziniu, others). Formerly forbidden works of literature begin to appear in bookstores, including many new and reissued translations of foreign-language works. 1984 Chinese rocker Cui Jian forms his first band and begins playing concerts around Beijing. 1985-1989 The avant-garde art movement known as “the ’85 New Wave Movement” flourishes for a period of about five years. 1986 Cui Jian forms the band ADO, achieves fame with his iconic ballad “Nothing to My Name,” quits his orchestra day job and begins playing stadium concerts. Other musicians and bands follow suit. 1987 Novelist Wang Shuo begins publishing works of gritty urban fiction; detractors dub his style “hooligan literature” (pizi wenxue). 1989 The Tiananmen Square protests begin in the spring and spread nationwide. The subsequent crackdown results in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries, and is followed by curfews, university lockdowns, and restrictions on free speech and artistic expression. 1990-95 Yuanmingyuan Artists’ Village, an arts commune, forms near the ruins of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing. At its height, the commune is home to four or five hundred painters, sculptors, writers, musicians and performance artists. It is disbanded by Chinese authorities in 1995. 1990 Wu Wenguang releases his indie documentary Bumming in Beijing: The Last Dreamers, ushering in the Chinese New Documentary Movement (NDM). 1993-1995 Beijing’s “East Village” art commune forms. Home to several dozen visual and performance artists, it is forcibly disbanded in 1995. Early 90s The “Sixth Generation” independent filmmakers emerge (Wang Xiaoshuai, Zhang Yuan, Jia Zhangke, He Jianjun, Lou Ye, Lu Chuan, others). Inexpensive, widely available Dakoudai (imported and spliced-together cassette tapes) expand access to foreign music. Videocassette rental shops and video-rental cafes expand access to both Chinese and foreign films. 1994 China becomes the 77th country to connect to the Internet. 1995 The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications begins providing Internet services to the public. 1996 China’s first Internet cafes open. Mid-late 90s Literary, film, music and other culture-related print journals proliferate. Affordable digital video cameras and computer editing equipment and software make it possible to produce films outside the mainstream Chinese censorship and distribution system. The dGeneration of Chinese underground filmmakers emerge (feature filmmakers Ying Liang, Jian Yi, Liu Jiayin, Robin Weng and others; documentarians Wang Bing, Zhao Liang, Du Haibin, Li Hong, Xu Xin, Huang Wenhai, et al.) Online fiction, literary websites and online translation collectives gain in popularity.
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Pirated CDs replace dakoudai; pirated VCDs (and later, DVDs) of overseas and domestic movies and TV shows are widely available. Further expansion of the Chinese music scene, as rock, pop, punk, hip-hop and experimental musical acts proliferate. 2000 Playwright and novelist Gao Xingjian wins the Nobel Prize for Literature. 2000- Beijing’s 798 Art Zone, located in a former industrial factory complex, begins attracting large numbers of artists, galleries, exhibitions and art lovers. 2001 First Annual Beijing Queer Film Festival is held in Beijing. 2003 First Annual “YunFest” Multicultural Visual Festival is held in Kunming. 2003 First Annual Beijing Independent Film Festival is held in Songzhuang Artists’ Village on the eastern outskirts of Beijing. Songzhuang, once a sleepy farming village, is being transformed by a large influx of artists, writers, musicians and other independent creators looking for larger studios, cheaper rents and a more amenable artistic community. 2007 798 Art Zone is saved from demolition/redevelopment as a tech centre, and is designated as a protected historical and arts district. 2007 The Paper Republic (paper-republic.org), a non-profit collaborative website dedicated to the promotion of Chinese literature in translation, is founded by three translators in Beijing. At about this time, pirated CDs and DVDs are being supplanted by legal and illegal online streaming of music, videos, films and television shows—often with Chinese subtitles produced by informal online teams of volunteer translators. 2008 Beijing hosts the 2008 Summer Olympics. 2010 Jailed dissident Liu Xiaobo wins the Nobel Peace Prize. 2012 Novelist Mo Yan wins the Nobel Prize for Literature. 2012- Independent film festivals (including the long running Beijing Independent Film Festival and YunFest Multicultural Visual Festival, among others) come under increased official scrutiny. By 2014, most have been shut down by the Chinese authorities. 2013 GAPP (General Administration of Press and Publications) and SARFT (State Administration of Radio, Film and Television) merge to become SAPPRFT (State General Administration of Press and Publication, Radio, Film and Television). Internet censorship is increasing during this period, with more website blocking, content deletion, scrutiny and censorship of social media. VPN usage increases apace. 2016 China relaxes foreign film import quotas somewhat (34-38 foreign films per year). Some statistics: China has 4.3 million Chinese-language websites, 700 million citizens with access to the Internet, and 1.28 billion mobile phone subscriptions. Over 440,000 books are published annually.
II. TRANSLATING CHINESE CONTEMPORARY CULTURE FOR A GLOBAL AUDIENCE
A. Motivations for Translation 1. Among the Chinese creative class (writers, artists, filmmakers, et al.) - Expand audience/readership; enhance global prestige; gain access to overseas publishing, distribution, prizes, festivals and travel opportunities; diversify one’s income stream; enjoy more reliable reporting of book sales and box office figures; gain a cushion against censorship; etc.
2. Among Chinese leaders and opinion leaders (politicians, cultural bureaucrats, heads of film studios and publishing houses, literary and film critics) - Increase Chinese global prestige and soft power; develop China’s domestic film, literary and other cultural industries; counter the cultural import/export imbalance; further consolidate control over China’s cultural industries; steer global discourse about contemporary China/control how this narrative is presented to world.
3. Among translators: - Counter the cultural import/export imbalance; increase the diversity of voices and viewpoints coming from China; promote un-translated and under-translated authors; seek challenging translations and continue to improve translation skills; etc.
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B. Challenges of Translation 1. Fiction & Poetry - Poor sales figures for Chinese literature in translation. - Competitive or hostile overseas markets, particularly in the U.S., where translated literature occupies a very small percentage of the overall market (<3%). - Low advances for Chinese authors and their translators. - Shortage of translation grants and fellowships, particularly in the U.S. - Actual and perceived lack of interest in translations among readers. - Limited number of Chinese novels with crossover appeal. - Actual and perceived censorship in the Chinese publishing industry degrades the quality and reputation of Chinese fiction as a whole, and lessens the appeal of Chinese literature for overseas readers.
2. Documentary & Indie Film - Films produced outside of the state-controlled censorship and approval system cannot secure domestic theatrical release, so are effectively (although not necessarily explicitly) banned in China. - Filmmakers have difficultly securing financing, therefore are heavily reliant on self-financing and/or overseas financing. - Filmmakers are reliant on the international film festival circuit or overseas partners for audience and distribution. - Subtitle translation is time-consuming and expensive, particularly for films made on shoestring budgets. - Actual and perceived audience aversion to watching films with subtitles. - Shortage of experienced, motivated, affordable subtitle translators.
3. Mainstream Film - Few Chinese mainstream films hold overseas crossover appeal or will fare well in translation. - Most of these films are produced specifically for the Chinese market, and there is little attempt to market them abroad, although almost all have English subtitles of varying quality. - Censorship restrictions and a lack of a Chinese film rating system make it difficult to produce entertaining, believable, realistic films in certain genres: crime, horror, science fiction, fantasy, etc. - The Chinese film industry is nearly unanimous in calling for a voluntary rating system of the sort used in the U.S., U.K. Australia, Canada and many other countries, but a ratings system has yet to be introduced in China. - A shortage of skilled, experienced and interested C-E translators means that much mainstream film translation is L2 (done by non-native English speakers) rather than L1.
4. Other (television, websites, video and role-playing games, manga, anime) - Television is a highly-censored medium, and few Chinese shows – other than news or costume drama – hold much appeal for overseas viewers. - China’s market for video games, animation and manga is dominated by imports, often from Japan, and is in a nascent stage.
C. Case Studies
1. Yan Lianke’s 2004 novel Dream of Ding Village
Yan Lianke, Dream of Ding Village (Ding Zhuang Meng), translated by Cindy Carter. London: Constable and Robinson, March 2011. 380 pages. - 2011 Man Asian Literary Prize, shortlist - 2012 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, shortlist a. Background to the project b. The process of translating the novel c. Editing and publication d. Promoting the translation e. Response to the translation f. Film adaptation: Gu Changwei’s 2011 film Zui Ai (Love for Life)
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2. Weng Shouming’s 2007 debut feature film Fujian Blue
Fujian Blue (Jin Bi Hui Huang), Robin Weng/Weng Shouming. Feature film. Fujian dialect with English subtitles. 87 mins. 2007. - Dragons and Tigers Prize, Vancouver Int’l Film Festival, 2007 - Awarded Pusan Int’l Film Festival (PIFF) post-production grant, 2007
a. Background to the film b. The process of translating the subtitles c. Response to the film
3. The documentary films of Wang Bing: West of Tracks; Fengming: A Chinese Memoir; Three Sisters; ‘Til Madness Do Us Part; Ta’ang, others.
West of Tracks (Tie Xi Qu), Wang Bing. Documentary in three parts [“Rust,” “Remnants,” “Rails”]. Mandarin and Shenyang dialect with English subtitles. 545 mins. 2002. - Best Documentary Feature, Mexico City Film Festival, 2005 - Grand Prix, Marseille Festival of Documentary Film, 2003 - Grand Prize, Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, 200 - Golden Montgolfier Award, Nantes Festival des Trois Continents, 2003 - European DVD release: MK2 films
Fengming: A Chinese Memoir (He Fengming), Wang Bing. Documentary. Mandarin with English subtitles, 184 mins. 2007. - Grand Prize, Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 2007 - Screened at Cannes, Vancouver, Toronto and numerous other film festivals
Three Sisters (San Zimei), Wang Bing. Documentary. 153 mins. Chinese dialect with English subtitles. 2012. - Best Film Award (Grande Prémio Cidade de Lisboa), 2012 DocLisboa - Orizzonti Best Film Award, Venice Film Festival, 2012 - Screened at Toronto, Vancouver, Venice, Pusan, Cinéma du Monde (Montreal), DocBuenos Aires, Brisbane, Tokyo Filmex, and other film festivals
‘Til Madness Do Us Part (Kuang Ai), Wang Bing. Documentary. 228 mins. Mandarin and Chinese dialect with English subtitles. 2013. - Silver Mongolfiere, Nantes Festival des Trois Continents, 2013
Ta-ang (De’Ang), Wang Bing. Documentary. 156 mins. Palaung and Chinese dialect with English subtitles. 2015.
3. The Paper Republic (paper-republic.org): a website dedicated to Chinese literature in translation
Links, Resources, Further Reading:
- “Documentary in Mainland China” by Lin Xudong, translated by Cindy Carter, in Yamagata Documentary Box, Issue #26, 2005. http://www.yidff.jp/docbox/26/box26-3-e.html
- Memoirs from the Beijing Film Academy: The Genesis of China’s Fifth Generation, by Ni Zhen, translated by Chris Berry. Duke University Press, 2003. https://www.dukeupress.edu/memoirs-from-the-beijing-film-academy
- “Beyond the Censors’ Reach: Indie Chinese Films Come to NYC,” The Wall Street Journal, August 17, 2015. http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-screens-host-chinese-independent-films-1439772500
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th 2. Next INTG meeting (412 ): Tuesday, 10 January, 2017, 7:30pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai: “What is the Use of Old Books?” A talk by Graham Jeffcoate
The talk: Collections of rare and historic books are being digitised across the globe on an almost industrial scale. The Google Book project is working with state and university libraries to create a mega-library of our printed heritage. National projects have also digitised large quantities of books, periodicals and newspapers to make them accessible via the Internet. So does this mean we can discard or mothball the huge print collections we keep in our traditional libraries? After all, storing and preserving them is expensive - and the texts are now mostly available on line. In this talk, the speaker shall argue that our printed heritage in physical form is in fact as important now as it ever was. In fact we're only now beginning to understand old books for what they are.
The speaker: Graham Jefcoate is the former Head of Early Printed Collections at the British Library, and has led major research libraries in Berlin and in Nijmegen in the Netherlands.
3. February 2017 INTG meeting (413TH): Tuesday, 7 February, 2017, 7:30 pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai “Kindred Spaces: Painting Across Worlds” A Presentation by Amy D'Apice
The presentation: Kindred Spaces is a multimedia presentation featuring the work of painter Amy D’Apice. A melding of visual art, music, and high-energy storytelling, Kindred Spaces provides a behind the scenes look at the painting process and the creation of an exhibition featuring Eastern and Western motifs. By revealing the beauty in forgotten spaces like alleys, backs of buildings, and abandoned lots, this passionate, expansive body of new paintings reminds us that we are more alike than not. e.
The speaker: Amy D’Apice is a painter, writer, and performance artist. After receiving her Master’s Degree from the University of Washington in 1997, she became a teacher and mentor, employed by the University of Washington, Northwest College of Art, and the Seattle Art Institute. Ms. D’Apice also co-founded The Art Center on Bainbridge Island, a community based school. Presently, Amy lives and works in Chiang Mai.
4. An Exhibition by Victoria Vorreiter on Hmong Music in Chiang Mai
Our former speaker, Victoria Vorreiter, has completed a new study on musics in the hills, this time about Hmong music. This last work is now accessible through a book, an ethnographic film—Hmong Songs of Memory, Traditional Secular and Sacred Hmong Music—, as well as an exhibition held at Tamarind Village Hotel, Chiang Mai, until April 30, 2017. Victoria gives free curator walks there every Friday at 3 pm. 6
For more details, see her website at:
http://www.tribalmusicasia.com
http://www.tribalmusicasia.com/newsletters/2016-book-launch/index.html
5. List of FUTURE INTG MEETINGS
Tuesday, 10 January, 2017, 7:30 pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai : “What is the Use of Old Books?”. A Talk by Graham Jefcoate. Tuesday, 7 February, 2017, 7:30 pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai : “Kindred Spaces: Painting Across Worlds”. A Presentation by Amy D'Apice. Tuesday, 21 February, 2017, 7:30 pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai: “Sansai Mahawong 1969/2017: Changes in a Northern Thai Village”. A Talk by Michael & Kay Calavan. Tuesday, 17 March, 2017, 7:30 pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai: “"Past Presenting": Heritage based Urban Development in Chiang Mai”. A Talk by Acharn Komson Teeraparbwong. Date to be scheduled in April, 7:30 pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai: A Talk on “Rong Wongsawan - the modern Thai writer and National Artist” by Tony Waters.
6. INTG CONTACTS : Convenor - Secretary - Website
1) Convenor : Rebecca Weldon : e-mail :
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Informal Northern Thai Group (INTG) 32 years of Talks! ______
WHAT IS THE USE OF OLD BOOKS?
A Talk by Graham Jeffcoate
Tuesday, 10 January 2017, 7:30 pm
At The Alliance Française - Chiang Mai 138, Charoen Prathet Road, (Opposite EFEO
Informal Northern Thai Group (INTG) 32 years of Talks!
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KINDRED SPACES : PAINTING ACROSS WORLDS A Talk by Amy D’Apice
Tuesday, 7 February 2017, 7:30 pm
At The Alliance Française - Chiang Mai
138, Charoen Prathet Road, (Opposite EFEO)