When the storyteller becomes a translator: Xi Xi’s translations of poetry and fiction

Xi Xi, a distinguished writer in Hong Kong’s literary history, is renowned for her novels, poetry, and essays. Less known is her significant role as a translator, who produced a substantial body of translations in the form of book reviews, although she did not accept this characterization. This article begins by discussing Xi Xi’s commentaries on translation in her poems, novels, and essays. It subsequently examines Xi Xi’s translations of the works of E. E. Cummings, José Emilio Pacheco, and Carl Sandburg, suggesting that she employed a “bundled” approach to translation in order to compensate for the unattainable goal of achieving equivalence. Finally, it analyzes why her book reviews of Latin American novels can be regarded as translations before delving into her profound admiration of the maestros of magical realism who significantly influenced her, including Miguel Ángel Asturias, Alejo Carpentier, Gabriel García Márquez, and Jorge Luis Borges. Xi Xi displayed a particular fascination with the narrative techniques of these Latin American authors. It is no coincidence that the global success of these magical realists hinges on their extraordinary storytelling abilities, Xi Xi also identified her work as storytelling rather than translation, dedicating her lifelong writing to this art form.

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Peer Reviewed Journal Article

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When the storyteller becomes a translator: Xi Xi’s translations of poetry and fiction

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