PC Translations

The Banquet was one of the best shows I saw in 2006. While some of my friends in China were less than thrilled with it, I thought it was a great movie. I suppose that any adaptation of Shakespeare is sure to be something I'll be interested in, and I thought this translation of Hamlet into a Chinese sword fighting movie was well done.

The Hamlet character, I thought, was acted better than any of the others, even though he is not played by as experienced an actor as the rest. But I thought he was more convincing in his role than some of the others.

I read on Amazon a "complaint" that the love story was too openly expressive of emotion. I agree, in one sense, but on the other, I thought it highlighted that this was at least in part to blame for the king's eventual downfall.

I thought the story was pulled off well, and the translation particularly well-done.

Yuan Tian Gang, taking a deep breath to calm himself down, said, "Don't be so happy yet. I know you are the God of the Jing River. You are the one who had added the amount and lenghtened the time of the rainfall, causing it to flood and drowning the inhabitants of the area. The Jade Emperor is very angry. Tomorrow night he will send a minister of the monarch Tai Zong, Wei Zheng, who, in order to punish your disrespect, will cut off your head."

When the River God heard this, he was very alarmed. He sat down and begged Yuan Tian Gang, saying, "What should I do? I beg you to point me in the right way on this matter!"

Yuan Tian Gang replied, "You just need to go ask Tai Gong to help you."

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This is a continuation of my translation of 中国童话 (Zhong Guo Tong Hua), or "Chinese Fairy Tales," which began here

I wrote this blog at my other site some time back:

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A few weeks back, Inklings wrote a blog that has stuck with me, and out of which several good discussions with "real life" friends have since grown, as well as the excellent thoughts shared in the discussions around here about that topic. In that blog, Inklings talks about life's unfairness, and about personal responsibility, and how we always have a choice in what we do with what we are given.

About the time I read that article by Inklings, I had recently seen the 2002 film Max, starring John Cusack and Noah Taylor. The DVD's cover has a line that becomes important in the film: "ART+POLITICS=POWER." The film's story centres around Hitler's need to make a choice between politics and art as a life path. I guess we know, from history, what he chooses. But the suggestion seems to be there -- he could've chosen otherwise, and the world would've been so different if he had.

What I first heard about the movie some time back (besides that Cusack was in it) was that it is a sympathetic look at Hitler. I don't know if "sympathetic" is precisely the word I'd use, but it is a look at what might have gone into forming Hitler into the creature he became. It examines the conditions in post-war Germany: the poverty of many of the soldiers, the racism and propaganda going on, the extreme class distinctions between rich and poor -- the whole deal. It also looks at Modernism in art, and how so many within that movement sought to divorce politics from art, ignoring the things going on around them. This impetus forces the decision that it seems Hitler "must" make in the film -- art or politics. In the end, of course, it is demonstrated that his real goal was power, and he seeks to meld art and politics into a means of gaining power. "Politics is the new art!" he shouts over and over in the film, to a very chilling effect.

But what I like about the movie -- at least one of the things -- is that it doesn't let the man off the hook for what he did. The movie shows the social forces that went into the making of the monster, if you want to look at it that way, but it also shows that the man was personally responsible for what he became. There were social forces at work, the film recognizes. But it is also the irresponsible use, by Hitler in the film, of his own art and politics, that ultimately leads him to make the decisions he does. It seems to demonstrate that there was a choice, and in the exercise of a single choice, he set down a path from which he never turned back.

It was a chilling film, and has stayed quite close to the centre of my thoughts these several weeks since watching it. I especially liked, when I saw it, how it intermingled with the thoughts Inklings presented in her blog about taking responsibility for the directions that we do take in life, rather than sitting back and whining about things.

I'm finally getting back to posting the translation of The Story of the God of the Gate. The previous post is here, and the first post in the series is located here.

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The River God happily went back to the Jing River Palace. There he received the Jade Emperor's imperial edict, clearly stating: Tomorrow afternoon 300 ml of rain will drop on Chang'an.

Upon reading this, the River God leapt with fright. The more he thougth, the less he was convinced. He decided he could purposely extend how long or increase how much it rained the next day.

After the rain stopped, the River God gleefully ran to Chang'an. Giving a naughty kick to Yuan Tian Gang's fortune-telling stand, he giggled and said, "The amount and the length of time you said it would rain were not accurate. Your stall is in real trouble now!"

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There's a very compelling story told on this blog entry, if you haven't alread seen or heard it on the news. And an opportunity for us to help.

Take a look. Give some thought to what we can do. At the very least, add your name to the list. Perhaps even send a letter to your congressperson (or whatever government official you might have some leverage with). Let's make a difference.

I will always remember that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was one of the few Chinese movies I saw on the big screen in the US. I've seen plenty in Asian cinemas, but this was the first I'd seen on the big screen in the US, and I don't know if I've seen another since.

Part of why that is so memorable is that my friends and I, all Chinese speakers, felt a bit awkward at some parts of the film. In Chinese, there were several parts that were quite humorous, but that didn't translate into the English. We found ourselves laughing out loud a few times, but had to try to stifle it as the rest of the audience was very quiet. The worst was when we found ourselves laughing at the bad translation during a serious/sad scene.

I am one of those who liked this film, despite the criticism it got. I felt like it was a nicely made film, and that it was particularly good for doing just what it did -- crossing borders. Not every Chinese movie is very accessible for Western audiences, but this one was, and I thought that was great.

And, of course, I always like both Chow Yan Fatt and Michelle Yeoh, so that was a special treat for me.

I am still overseas (since just after Christmas, and until next week) and don't have my copy of the book I've been translating with me. I will get back to it when I am back home, sometime next week.

Here's a quick translation, though of a children's song, translated from the Chinese:

A guest is here
To see Daddy
Daddy's not at home
I invite the guest in to have a seat
And bring him a cup of tea

A few years ago when my sister's family was visiting me from the US, my godchildren and I were teaching my nephew and niece this song. They were surprised and said, "Hey, you shouldn't ever invite someone in when your parents aren't home!"

It had never struck me before how this simple song is so expressive of a time and culture that is largely past. This song would have, at one time, been instructive for Chinese children about how to properly receive a guest who's come to visit his/her parents. It is sad to note that times have changed so much that these simple manners cannot be safely observed anymore.

At the heart of the song are very Chinese values: service, hospitality, and respect for one's elders, particularly a friend of one's parents. While many of these values are still observed in other forms, it is interesting to see how outdated the song has become.

That doesn't stop it from being sung by Chinese children very frequently, though.

King of Masks is, for me, one of the most heart-warming of films.

Unlike many Chinese movies, this is not terribly depressing. It is concerned with harsh realities and all, but not overwhelmed by them.

I love that King of Masks deals with inter-generational relationships, and also with gender issues. For me, it is a fun blend of thought-provoking and entertaining.

I really loved, too, the focus on the Chinese tradition of "bian lian," the art of the masks. It was fun watching this on the screen. When I traveled to Sichuan, I got a chance to see some of the old masks, though the performances are getting rarer all the time. I have, however, seen the "bian lian" performances in Shanghai, usually at Sichuan restaurants.

The movie, though, has several nice scenes that include the performances. In the midst of the heart-warming story, this cultural relic is showcased.

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