Connecting with Global Publishers, Readers and Translators, Book Exhibition

to Chinese Writer Xue Mo Creates Buzz at 74th Frankfurt Book Fair

by: Beijing Ruxue Media

FRANKFURT, Germany, Oct. 26, 2022 -- Award-winning Chinese writer Xue Mo, renowned for his literary works portraying life in Western China, presented his work of over 30 books at the booth of China International Book Trading Corporation (CIBTC) at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2022. The exhibition of the acclaimed Contemporary Chinese author caught the attention of global publishing houses and copyright agencies, with the booth populated with visitors and publishers looking to get their hands on his works.

Publishing Houses, Copyright Agencies, Translators, Literature Fans Gathered to Admire Chinese Writer Xue Mo’s Works at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2022.

Publishing Houses, Copyright Agencies, Translators, Literature Fans Gathered to Admire Chinese Writer Xue Mo’s Works at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2022.

Xue Mo, whose real name is Chen Kaihong, is best known for his The Desert Trilogy, also is widely considered as representative works of China's Nativist literary tradition. Selected Stories by Xue Mo, which contains wonderful short stories that capture the essence of the culture, life, and spirit of the region, has been translated into over 20 languages, including English, German, French, Russian, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Italian, Swedish, Nepali, Hindi, and Arabic.

The publication of more works, inclduing The Curse of Xixia, White Fox Ridge, The Monk and the Spirit Woman, Suosalang, ect, established him as an important figure in contemporary Chinese literature as well as an essential presence in the literary representation of China's West.

Titled "Everyone Enters Their Own Desert: Xue Mo and His Light", the exhibition, which concluded with great success on October 23, debuted his novella Into the Desert and the Hebrew version of Selected Stories by Xue Mo, giving global readers a unique glimpse of the stories that portray the mysterious cultural landscape of Western China.

Translated from Chinese by the American Sinologist Howard Goldblatt and translator Sylvia Li-chun Lin into English, Into the Desert is one of the four stories included in Selected Stories by Xue Mo. Goldblatt said that both reading and translating Xue Mo's works are not like any other experience, adding that he hoped his translation can let English readers appreciate the beauty of Western China, while Sylvia Li-chun Lin praised highly Xue Mo's work for his profound depictions of Western Chinese life. The Women The Camels and The Dholes is translated by the British Sinologist Han Bin, who speak highly of Xue Mo's work.

"Xue Mo's work introduces to the world the contemporary survival of the northwest countryside, including physical survival, spiritual survival, the survival of nature and culture as well, which all tested the people's ability to resist, survive, and laugh on experience" said Mexican Translator Lisa Carducci.

Paolo Marcenaro, famous translators from Italy, expected to translate more works of Xue Mo, while Yoann Bernard, the director of Swiss Books Agency, expressed looking forward to read more works of Xue Mo.

Sunandan Roy, director of the Indian publishing house SAMPARK, said that Xue Mo is not merely a famous writer, but also a cultural scholar with deep and profound sights into human nature. He hopes to continue working on translating and publishing other philosophical works by Xue Mo after the publication of The World Is a Reflection of the Mind. Publishers from Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Sweden and Japan, such as Colisión Libros, Nordin Agency and Tohan Corporation, also showed a strong interest in publishing Xue Mo's books.

Produced by Sodalite Productions Limited and narrated by the BBC Radio Four presenter Sarah Lam, the English audiobook of Selected Stories by Xue Mo is available now. Recalling her recording experience, Lam said she was completely sucked in by the story and the powerful characters of the two heroines – Lanlan and Ying'er – left a deep impression on her.

With the publication of Xue Mo's works, more and more readers will understand the West, the Silk Road, and even China.