[Life] Wu Ming-yi's "The Bicycle Thief" Malay Edition Expands Taiwan-Malaysia Literary Exchange
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bellala 央廣＠＠3h ago
The Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair is an annual reading event for the Malay community. Malaysian publishers have, for the first time, translated Taiwanese author Wu Ming-yi's "The Bicycle Thief" into Malay, opening the door to understanding Taiwanese literature and creating new opportunities for the predominantly Malay-language reading market.
Abdullah Hussaini, Project Manager at Malaysian publisher IBDE, was a key figure in facilitating the Malay translation of "The Bicycle Thief." He hopes this will allow more Malay readers to appreciate the diverse landscape of Taiwanese literature and promote literary exchange between Taiwan and Malaysia.
"The Bicycle Thief" centers around the familiar bicycle, weaving together stories of reality and memory through the search for a missing father and bicycle, set against the backdrop of the island's landscapes. The characters' stories involve the war experiences and historical scars of various ethnic groups in Taiwan.
Although the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair, held from May 29 to June 7, has concluded, "The Bicycle Thief," as a translated Taiwanese novel in Malay at the fair, attracted many young Malay readers. The sharing session attended by Wu Ming-yi during the book fair also received a warm response.
Abdullah told CNA in an interview today (20th) that IBDE has previously translated many works from Arabic, French, German, and English into Malay. However, introducing a Taiwanese full-length novel to Malay readers is still a new endeavor for the local publishing industry.
He mentioned that he had heard of Taiwanese author Wu Ming-yi about 10 years ago. Three years ago, he was recommended by friends in the Malaysian Chinese literary circle to attend Wu Ming-yi's lecture at the George Town Literary Festival in Penang. He began reading Wu's works, and was particularly impressed by "The Bicycle Thief."
Abdullah believes that the book's use of bicycles to connect personal memories, family stories, and historical scars resonates with the experiences of Malaysian society. Therefore, IBDE proactively contacted the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia to collaborate on promoting the Malay edition of "The Bicycle Thief."
Abdullah admitted that compared to translations from Europe, America, or the Middle East, many Malay readers are still unfamiliar with Taiwanese literature. However, with Wu Ming-yi's visit to Malaysia for reader interaction, the Malay community is gradually recognizing Taiwan's mature and large-scale publishing market. Through residency programs, creative grants, and various award mechanisms, Taiwan offers abundant opportunities for literary exchange, showcasing its development in literature, historical research, and cultural creation.
He told CNA reporters: "Taiwan's relatively open and diverse social environment also contributes to the flourishing of literary creation."
Furthermore, Lee Hao Jie, the translator of "Journey to the West" who also worked on the Chinese-Malay translation, believes that the biggest challenge for Taiwanese works entering the Malay market is not language, but "cultural translation." Many Chinese works contain historical backgrounds, place name allusions, and cultural meanings. The challenge for translators is to retain the spirit of the original work while enabling Malay readers to understand and resonate with it.
He stated that translators are not just converting words but are bridges between different languages and cultures. He hopes that through translation, Malay readers can be exposed to more works from Taiwan, and Taiwanese readers can have the opportunity to learn about Malaysian literature, thereby promoting understanding and exchange between different ethnic groups.
For the Malay community readers, "The Bicycle Thief" is an important window into Taiwanese literature. As the work crosses linguistic barriers into the Malay reading market, it allows more readers to see different aspects of Taiwanese society, history, and culture through literature. (Editor: Liu Xiang-hua)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=215659
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