Xiaolu Ma, a Professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, discusses her book detailing the intricate cultural exchanges between Russia, Japan, and China from 1880 to 1930. She shares her personal journey studying Russian literature and highlights Japan's pivotal role as a cultural mediator. The conversation delves into the complexities of translation, showcasing how Russian narratives were transformed in Japan before reaching China. The themes of nihilism and literary reform anchor the dialogue, revealing rich intercultural dynamics that shaped modern identities.
01:04:35
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Xiaolu Ma's Reading Journey
Xiaolu Ma shares her personal journey of reading Russian literature in China and the U.S., highlighting cultural and linguistic influences.
She observed how Soviet discourse shaped Chinese understanding and how Japanese mediated Russian literary culture to China.
insights INSIGHT
Japan as Cultural Mediator
Chinese intellectuals learned about Russia mainly through Japanese translation and cultural mediation in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Japan acted as a crucial intermediary due to geography, language accessibility, and political factors for Chinese understanding of Russian culture.
insights INSIGHT
Concept of Transpatial Modernity
Transpatial modernity highlights the intertwined but asynchronous experiences of modernity across cultures.
It reveals how spatial proximity and cultural mediation influence perceptions of time and concepts like enlightenment and modernism.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Cultural Chinese Encounters with Russia via Japan, 1880 to 1930
Xiaolu Ma
Xiaolu Ma's 'Transpatial Modernity' offers a comprehensive analysis of the intricate cultural exchange between Russia, China, and Japan from 1880 to 1930. The book meticulously details how Russian ideas and literature were translated and adapted in Japan before reaching China, highlighting the role of intermediary cultures in shaping modern East Asian thought. Ma's research reveals the complex layers of translation and reinterpretation, demonstrating how cultural meaning shifts across linguistic and geographical boundaries. The study challenges traditional narratives of modernization by emphasizing the interconnectedness of these three cultures. 'Transpatial Modernity' is a significant contribution to the fields of comparative literature, cultural history, and translation studies.
How the Steel Was Tempered
How the Steel Was Tempered
Nikolai Ostrovsky
Nikolai Ostrovsky's "How the Steel Was Tempered" is a semi-autobiographical novel that chronicles the life of Pavel Korchagin, a young man who becomes involved in the Russian Revolution. The novel depicts Korchagin's struggles, sacrifices, and unwavering commitment to the cause of communism. Ostrovsky's powerful storytelling and passionate portrayal of revolutionary ideals made the novel a popular work in the Soviet Union. The book's exploration of personal sacrifice and unwavering dedication to a cause continues to resonate with readers today. However, its propagandistic elements have also been subject to criticism.
The Captain's Daughter
Александр Сергеевич Пушкин
Роман «Дочь командира» — исторический роман Александра Пушкина, рассказывающий о восстании Пугачёва во время правления Екатерины II. Главный герой, Пётр Гринёв, молодой дворянин, влюбляется в дочь своего командира и оказывается в центре восстания. Роман сочетает в себе элементы исторической прозы и романтической повествования.
A Hero of Our Time
Mikhail Lermontov
War and Peace
Leo Tolstoy
Set during the Napoleonic Wars, 'War and Peace' follows the lives of several Russian aristocratic families, including the Bezukhovs, the Rostovs, and the Bolkonskys. The novel spans from 1805 to 1820 and is known for its realistic detail and psychological analysis. It explores the impact of Napoleon's invasion of Russia on the characters and society, delving into themes of love, family, war, and personal growth. The novel includes historical events such as the Battle of Austerlitz, the Treaties of Tilsit, and the French invasion of Russia, intertwining historical and fictional elements[3][4][5].
Transpatial Modernity: Chinese Cultural Encounters with Russia Via Japan (1880-1930) (Harvard Asia Center, 2024) offers the first detailed account of the complex cultural, literary and intellectual relationships between Russia, Japan and China in the modern era. In this wide-ranging interview, author Xiaolu Ma reflects on the remarkable process of Russian culture reaching China through the prism of Japan and Japanese. What happens when translation takes place through an intermediary language? How did Russian literature and ideas get reimagined in the two-step exchange to Japanese and Chinese?
This interview begins with the Professor Ma’s personal reflections on the experience of studying Russian literature in China, before turning to a broad overview of China’s encounter with Russia via Japan. The interview then zooms in on a few of the examples explored in Transpatial Modernity, bringing to life a network of cultural exchange, including such celebrated names as Pushkin, Lu Xun, and the Russian nihilists.
Transpatial Modernity is recommended for anyone interested in processes of cultural exchange and translation, as well as for those with interest in China, Japan and Russia during the extraordinary half-century between the 1880s and 1930s.
Mark Baker is lecturer (assistant professor) in East Asian history at the University of Manchester, UK.
New Books in East Asian Studies 
