The Legend of Jin Yong 金庸 (part of the China in Context Festival)

Known as China’s Tolkien, Jin Yong 金庸 is a house-hold name throughout East Asia, with his fantasy epics selling over 300 million copies. Yet his works have remained a mystery in the West. Now a new English translation is opening up the legend for English-speaking readers. Meet young translator Anna Holmwood to hear how she “translated the untranslatable” in this event celebrating Jin Yong’s life and works at China Exchange on 17 March.

Book now for a chance to win a copy of the new English translation of the Legend of The Condor Heroes at the event – the top three questions asked during the audience Q&A will win a book.

About the speakers

Anna Holmwood

Anna, who is now based in Sweden, studied Chinese at Oxford University before discovering Jin Yong’s works in Taipei and moving to Hangzhou in China while she worked on the translation. She said the experience had made a “disciple” of her and Jin Yong her “shifu”. “It has been an intense and exhilarating experience to see the attention the English edition is getting after so many years sitting alone at my computer and grappling with every word and sentence,” she said. “I approach the whole project with a humble heart; I have learned so much over the course of these years that I should say that Jin Yong is my shifu, and I am his xuemei, his disciple.”

Soo Cole

Soo is the co-founder and director of Fighting Spirit Film Festival which is now in its third year. It focuses on supporting, promoting, inspiring, connecting, and recognising those involved with martial arts and action films. She currently trains in Shaolin martial arts.

Dr Xiaoning Lu

Dr Xiaoning Lu is Lecturer in Modern Chinese Culture and Language at SOAS, University of London. She received her master’s degree in modern Chinese literature from Fudan University, China and PhD in comparative literature from Stony Brook University, USA. As a scholar of literature as well as film, she has published articles on modern Chinese literature, Chinese cinema and socialist culture.

Hi Ching

Hi Ching was born in London and brought up in Singapore. He studied at the Royal Ballet School and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and went on to dance with the Frankfurt Ballet, Royal Opera, and English National Opera. He then worked as a professional actor,  appearing on TV, film and stage before turning to directing, producing, writing and composing. He was Artistic Director of FIPA (Foundation for Indian Performing Arts), River Cultures, and is currently Artistic Director of TICCulture.

This event is delivered in partnership with Asia House and is part of the Hong Kong programme at China in Context and is supported by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office.

China in Context is organised by China Exchange and Cypress Books.