Reviews

Self Translation by Ouyang Yu

eliza_v_paige's review

4.0

Whilst it is impossible for my present self to acknowledge the skill of the actual translation, the design of having the Chinese and English present made the experience unique and wholesome. As unilingual English speaker, the absence created by the comparable Chinese text had an unexpected and very personal effect. Focusing on the fact that this is self translated, we see the English version the author intended, which made me reflect on the act of translation with every Chinese character. The poems themselves were exquisite, looking into the cross-cultural division and synergy between being simultaneously Chinese and Australian. I do not regret my lack of understanding of the Chinese language in the same way that I do not feel incomplete without Chinese heritage; the art of each language and experiences provides a healthy dose of perspective that is unique to poetry.