While we’re counting down to Christmas, we’re also celebrating a number of wonderful updates from our community over the past two months!
We’re delighted to share that Shuang Xuetao's The Hunter, translated by Jeremy Tiang, and Jia Pingwa's Old Kiln, translated by James Trapp, Olivia Milburn, and Christopher Payne, have been included in The Irish Times' “Books of the Year” list. Congratulations to all involved! We also extend our congratulations to Amadan Ruiqing Flynn for winning the 2025 Golden Point Award for her translation of Liew Kwee Lan’s (艾禺) The Boy Who Cried Bear (《有熊出没》).

And, the good news don't just stop here! Read on below.

Don’t Miss: Paper Republic Community Survey

• If you haven’t taken our first ever Community Survey, make sure to check this out. All participants will be able to join our exclusive Readers’ Wechat group to get a red envelope once the survey ends as a thank you for your time!

Free-to-Read Online

• Brendan O'Kane has recently translated Zhang Dai's classic essay "Mid-Autumn Night at Tiger Hill"（虎丘中秋夜）into English, sharing it on his Substack newsletter. Don't miss this vivid glimpse into the vibrant nightlife of Suzhou from almost four centuries ago.
  

• Grace Najmulski’s debut translation, titled Coming Around—the opening story of Suo Er’s acclaimed collection Noncorrelation (非亲非故)—was published online on November 18, 2025. Read the translation along with an accompanying interview of the translator here.

Programs for Translators

• Translators worldwide are now invited to apply for the “Songyang Translators’ Home” residency, immersing in a 500-year-old Chinese village to advance their translation projects amidst rich cultural heritage. This Program accepts applications all year-round, except on Chinese statutory holidays. Apply now.

Media & Events

• Listen to translators Jeremy Tiang and Nicky Harman, along with Daniel Li of Sinoist Books, discuss the pressures and prospects facing Chinese literature today. As the number of Chinese-to-English translators grows and the mainland Chinese publishing industry expands globally, they examine how censorship, internet literature, and geopolitical tensions might shape the future of Chinese fiction. Featured in the conversation are works like Taiwan Travelogue, Delicious Hunger, Diablo’s Boys, Old Kiln, and Cocoon.
  

• Audrey Kelly reflected on a memorable Translation Day at Queen’s University Belfast's Seamus Heaney Centre, where she discussed the ethical approach behind her translation of Zhang Tianyi's To See the Mountain through the Snow. She also shared the special honor of meeting translator Nicky Harman, calling the event "only the beginning." Read her post here.

Book Reviews

• Read the book review of Jack Hargreaves’ translation of Hu Anyan’s bestselling memoir—a firsthand account of life as a Beijing courier that reveals the stark reality of China’s “996” work culture and the existential struggles of overworked youth.
  

Translations News

• Bruce Humes' English translation of Chi Zijian’s Last Quarter of the Moon (originally 额尔古纳河右岸) will be reissued by a new publisher in January 2026. This marks the third publisher for the translation since its initial release in 2013. The upcoming North American edition will feature a foreword by a noted Native American author. Pre-orders are currently available through both Milkweed Editions and Amazon.
  

• Isolda Morillo has completed the Spanish translation of Zheng Xiaoqiong’s poetry—marking the poet’s first anthology available to Spanish-language readers. The edition is set to be released this December in Spain, Chile, Peru, and potentially Mexico.
  

• The latest column from Jack Hargreaves for the New China Books Review is now live, featuring a dynamic showcase of translated Chinese literature—from the gritty surrealism of Shuang Xuetao's Hunter to the dystopian body horror of Hon Lai Chu's Mending Bodies—that spotlights a rich array of acclaimed new voices reaching readers worldwide.