At a recent book launch in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, on October 25, Li Yijian, former secretary to renowned author Jin Yong and the chief editor of the Jin Yong Translation Series, spoke about the author’s extensive body of work beyond his famous martial arts novels. “Jin Yong’s martial arts fiction is just the tip of the iceberg. Throughout his life, he was diligent in his writing, leaving behind a rich legacy in film scripts, literary commentary, and translation,” Li remarked.
During the event, two new translations were released: “Jin Yong Translations: Selected Short Stories by Damon Runyon” and “Jin Yong Translations: The Seminar on Happy Marriage.” This marks the first time Jin Yong’s literary translations have been published in mainland China.
Li Yijian emphasized that the legendary author, widely recognized for his martial arts stories, wielded “another pen” in his translation endeavors. Between 1946 and 1949, Jin Yong published numerous translations in various publications, including the Southeast Daily and Hong Kong’s Dagong Bao, with over 100 works currently verified.
Renowned translator Zhang Jing, who translated Jin Yong’s “Legend of the Condor Heroes” trilogy into English, noted the deep connections between the newly published translations and Jin Yong’s creative career. “Both Damon Runyon’s short stories and André Maurois’s ‘The Seminar on Happy Marriage’ center around human relationships. They depict emotions and convey the joys and sorrows of life through dialogue and interaction, which resonate with the core spirit of Jin Yong’s martial arts novels,” Zhang stated.
Qiu Huadong, a member of the Chinese Writers’ Association’s leadership team, echoed these sentiments, saying, “These two translations provide invaluable insights into Jin Yong’s cultural contributions, showcasing that this literary giant was also a translator—an accomplished martial arts author and a global literary reader and interpreter.”
