Magical Encounter
Last updated:2018-11-13
Magical Encounter
English Language & Literature students report on Week 1 of the SYSU Writers Residency
Introduction
The Sun Yat-Sen University Writers Residency, which has taken place each October since 2014, is committed to fostering creativity and to exploring educational practice. The program provides the space for international writers to read and write, and also allows them to engage with local people, and to be immersed in Chinese literature and Chinese culture. In addition, the program allowed the students to interview the visiting writers and to gain insight into the relationship between writing and translation by translating excerpts from their work into Chinese.
In 2018, the group stayed in Yangshuo in Guangxi Autonomous Region for a fortnight, then visited the Guangzhou and Zhuhai campuses of Sun Yat-sen University to participate in a series of academic events, before continuing on to Zhaoqing in Guangdong Province. Under the leadership of Dai Fan, Professor of English at the Center for Creative Writing, English major postgraduate students Wu Guobin, Chen Yinchun, Li Jiamei, undergraduate students Chen Nan, Chu Xinyi, Guo Fei, and visiting scholars Su Yan and Zhu Liping participated in the first week of the residency, which ran from 22nd October to 28th October.
The group spent the first seven days in Yangshuo with eight writers from around the world: Monica Aasprong from Norway/Sweden, Zdravka Evtimova from Bulgaria, Whiti Hereaka from New Zealand, Sally Ito from Canada, Michael McGregor from the United States, Charlson Ong from the Philippines, Vladimir Poleganov from Bulgaria, and James Scudamore from Great Britain. As well as working closely on the writers’ texts and assisting them with requirements such as airport pickup, daily logistical problems and intercultural communication with the locals, students also attended the Mountain Song Fair, visited Yangshuo Middle School and the famous West Street, and went rafting and hiking. The literary inspiration, new friendships and wonderful scenery contributed to making our participation in the course an unforgettable experience.
As the writers traveled from Guilin Airport to Yangshuo, we watched these foreign visitors with a mixture of apprehension and fascination. Though tired, they were amazed by the fantastic scenery outside. Their phones flashed continually at the windows as if they feared to miss any beauty.
Mountain Song: our friendship will last forever
The Mountain Singers of the Zhuang people wear brightly coloured costumes and improvise rhyming couplets in a high-pitched, lilting delivery. Professor Dai sat, surrounded by a circle of writers, swiftly writing down the lyrics and translating them into English. The writers smiled as they heard the English version and explanation of the songs.
Whiti Hereaka sang a song for the Zhuang women, seemingly nervous as she clasped her hands over her chest. In New Zealand, the Maori community share a similar tradition of singing in an antiphonal style. Encouraged by Whiti, the other writers launched into a chorus of the Scottish folk song Auld Lang Syne. “Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind?” Perhaps music is a kind of language, one that can help overcome cultural differences. The sound of songs rose like waves, filling everyone’s heart with happiness.
Yangshuo High school: a school rendezvous
On October 26th, the Writer’s Residency paid a visit to Yangshuo Middle School. Upon entering the lecture hall, writers were overwhelmed by warm applauses from students. After a quick introduction, students swarmed forward and encircled each writer, discussing (with much laughter) aspects of literature they had been studying. How to create a lifelike character? How to construct a plot? How long does it take to write a book? What are the ethics of writing about real-life people? At lunchtime, students escorted the writers to their canteen, where they enjoyed local delicacies. Some students took out their English textbooks and asked the writers for their autographs. After the meal, students showed the writer around the Middle School campus, scented with osmanthus blossom. James Scudamore rolled his sleeves up and played Ping-Pong with students on the sports field. One student presented Whiti Hereaka with a paper cup of osmanthus flowers. Finally, it was time to say goodbye. ‘Creeping like snail’, the students walked the writers to the school gate, hugged them one last time, and said farewell.
Translation Is An Art
It is said that literary translation is a process of remaking. How to express the foreign context in Chinese? How to translate culturally specific words? How to understand the writer's intention, which may be socially as well as idealistically motivated? With these questions nagging at them, students began translating on the first day of the Residency. Morning and night the sound of keyboards tapping emanated from the hotel lobby.
Guobin Wu and Xinyi Chu were responsible for translating excerpts from Pure Act: the Uncommon Life of Robert Lax, Michael McGregor’s biography of the American poet. Since the philosophico-linguistic concept implied in the book’s title was too abstract for the students to understand, Guobin consulted Michael about it. During the conversation, Michael mentioned that, aside from all the interviews and textual sleuthing, the mechanics of writing biography, his motivation to write this book was also “to find the meaning of life”. Slowly Guobin came to understand something of the higher calling involved in being a writer.
Jiamei Li and Yinqun Chen translated the opening chapters of My Hometown, a novel written by Sally Ito, from Canada. The book described aspects of Japanese culture like kimonos and haiku, which were interesting for the two students. Jiamei found a Chinese equivalent form with five words in each line in order to translate a traditional Japanese poem. Nan Chen and Fei Guo respectively translated two short stories Jivil and Blood of a Mole composed by a Bulgarian novelist Zdravka. Every time they knocked at the door of Zdravaka’s room, she welcomed their questions. “Previously, I had thought translation was tedious,” Fei Guo remarks, “but now I enjoy revising and improving the translation again and again, and feel a sense of achievement”.
Outside The Classroom: lessons learned
The setting of the Writers’ Residency encouraged students to be curious and enquire freely. One student, Li Jia-mei, was concerned about writer’s block. Whiti Hereaka shared similar problems from her own writing experience, and argued that we should not overemphasize quality to the detriment of process, urging Jia-mei to keep on writing even though the quality might seem poor. Her reply allowed Jia-mei to realize the importance of action rather than overthinking.
Chen Yin-chun, another student in the residency, recounted her story to Michael during the dinner, who advised her to write it down. When she was anxious about the faded details of her story, Michael told her to concentrate on the those she could remember. But after a few days, Yin-chun still hadn’t completed her work. Rather than criticize, Michael told Yin-chun to write down her writing everyday in the morning, as his students in the US do. Michael’s encouragement enabled Yin-chun to reflect on her own perfectionism. She recalled that no writing can ever be perfect in the writer’s eyes. So, getting on with the act of writing is the only way to ensure that the writing itself will ever approach perfection.
We are all plagued by the spectre of perfectionism while writing stories. But the supportive environment in Yangshuo made us see that it is the soil of mistakes which provides the nutrient where success can blossom.
Guo Fei and Chen Nan can never forget their special experiences with Zdravka Evtimova, the writer from Bulgaria. Something went wrong suddenly in Zdravka’s laptop, so she had to buy another one in China. Nan helped to contact a seller and negotiate a good deal, then two girls installed a variety of apps and helped set up the new operating system. “Well!” Zdravka laughed, putting her arms around them for a photograph, “aren’t these two girls just my daughters!”
As photographic assistant, Chen Haocheng worried that his opportunities of interacting with the writers would not be very great. He was also anxious about communicating with the writers, not being confident in his English skills. However, what impressed him was that all writers were very friendly and easy-going. They were willing to listen to him and share their ideas, and they also had great patience. Like the other students, Haocheng left Yangshuo feeling that not only had he improved his English, but also gained new friends.
Saying Goodbye
The day finally made its quiet arrival when we had to say goodbye. In the morning, we watched films of all that we had done together during the past week. Scene after scene unrolled: of the airport pickup; of the friendly little chats over a bottle of beer under the stars; of the nights on bustling West Street; and of the Mountain Song Fair as it transformed into a full-blown international concert! Although all good things must come to an end, our memories of the past week will surely last forever.