Reading Asia: Writing in a different language is to explore a new writer’s identity, says Chinese author Yan Ge

In an interview with Sohini Basak for The Hindu, Chinese author Yan Ge talks about what writing in different languages entail, and her literary journey since her first book, published when she was 17

In this monthly column, writer Sohini Basak sets out to interview contemporary writers from Asia to understand the nuances of cultural practices, power hierarchies, literary lineages, gender norms, all the while asking the question: Is there an Asian way of thinking? The hope for the column is to not only celebrate, but also sharpen our understanding of the countries geographically closest to us, and heighten our collective curiosities about the shared colonial histories, mythologies, sentimentalities and anxieties. Here’s an excerpt from her interview with writer Yan Ge:

Reading Asia | The full collection of interviews

Yan Ge is a fiction writer in Chinese languages and English. Born in Sichuan, China, and now residing in England, Ge’s works have been translated into eleven languages. She has received numerous awards and was named by People’s Literature magazine as one of twenty future literature masters in China. If you’re new to Yan Ge and want to savour the wide range of her worlds, start with Strange Beasts of China, which in its English translation was named as one of the New York Times Notable Books of 2021. Then, move on to her English-language slice-of-life stories in Elsewhere or if you’re intrigued by small-town life in China, pick up the witty and moving Red Chilli Bean Clan.