In partnership with Paper Republic, Manchester City of Literature is publishing poetry in translation from four fantastic Chinese poets. Each poem will be published in both Chinese and English. This project marks the continuation of an ongoing cultural exchange and partnership between Manchester and Nanjing Cities of Literature. You can learn more about Manchester City of Literature here.


"My Fathers" by Yu Bang 育邦 (M) translated by David A. Janke

I came down from up the tree
and recognized one of my fathers
gloomy, silent
belching a hazy cloud from his mouth

I came out from among the flowers
and recognized one of my fathers filthy
beyond belief, a mouth daubed in muck
stepping on the crystalline lake water

I came out from inside a rock
and recognized one of my fathers
clean and pure, putting us to shame
fully naked, ancient moss covering his hands

I came out from among the crowd
and recognized one of my fathers
wearing a mask and shackles
performing an eternal masked opera

I came out from among the flames
and recognized one of my fathers
carrying a pail of water
yes, seeking to extinguish me


我认出了我的一位父亲

我从树上走下来
我认出了我的一位父亲
他阴郁，沉默
口中吐出一朵浑浊的云

我从花中走出来
我认出了我的一位父亲
他污秽不堪，满嘴淤泥
脚踩一片清澈的湖水

我从石头里走出来
我认出了我的一位父亲
他纯洁得呀，让我们羞愧
全身赤裸，双手长满了古老的苔藓

我从人群中走出来
我认出了我的一位父亲
他戴着面具与枷锁
正在表演永恒的傩戏

我从火苗中走出来
我认出了我的一位父亲
他提着一桶水
是的，他要浇灭我


About the Poet

Yu Bang, born in 1976, is a poet, essayist, and novelist. His published works include a short story collection, A Young Man’s Travels; three essay collections, The Prowler, Arty Types, and From Joyce to Marquez; a biography of Wu Jingzi; and three poetry collections, Memoir of My Old Friends, Felling Parasol Trees, and Stop Drinking. His poetry has ranked high in the annual literary rankings of Xinhua News Digest, College Chinese, and the Yangtze River Literary Review. He has won numerous accolades, including the Zijin Mountain Literary Prize, the Sanmao Essay Prize, the Yangtze River Poetry Prize, and the Young Poet’s Prize in the 2021 Chen Zi’ang Poetry Awards. He was selected as one of the top 20 poets of the first 20 years of the 21st Century and is a representative poet of China’s post-70s generation of poets. He lives in Nanjing.

About the Translator

David A. Janke, a British national, is the Founder and General Manager of Hainan Yidian'an Language Services Co., Ltd. He holds a Bachelor's in Chinese Language and Literature from Nanjing University (2011) and the CATTI International certificate. Before founding his company in Hainan in January 2022, he taught English in Nanjing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Hainan, while actively working as a freelance translator. His translation portfolio includes published works such as This is Hangzhou (Foreign Languages Press, Sep 2023) and forthcoming publications like A Brief History of the People's Republic of China (English edition).