Cover news reporter Zhang Jie
In mid-January 2022, a self-report titled "Hangzhou Man Calls from a Funeral Home: Can You Write About Our Genius Son" made the translator Jin Xiaoyu a hot search figure on the Internet overnight. The story of Jin Xiaoyu's struggle with a difficult fate has touched countless people: when he was a teenager, he suffered a serious eye injury, and later suffered from manic depression. Although he failed to complete his university studies, he became a well-regarded literary translator in the industry by teaching himself foreign languages and translating more than 20 works in English, Japanese, and German.
After the father article swipes the screen
Jin Xiaoyu translated it as fire
After Jin Xiaoyu's story was widely disseminated, his translations also became the object of readers' tussoji. The popular news effect has become a force that boosts literary reading, which is gratifying. According to the cover news reporter, most of the works translated by Jin Xiaoyu are literary and art books, involving literature, movies and other topics, mainly published by Henan University Press and Nanjing University Press. Among them, Henan University Press (from 2015 to 2019) published 9 books, namely "Writing Life", "Hip Hop This Business", "The Best Seat in the Theater", "The History of Rock and Roll in Ten Songs", "Dog Son-in-Law Comes to the Door", "Diary of Language Walk", "Silk Road Chronicle", "Flying Soul", "Andy Warhol Diary"; Nanjing University Press (from 2012 to 2019) published 5 books: "Ship Fever", "Seducer", "Andrei Tarkovsky: Elements of Cinema", "Crow", "The Crow", "Nanjing University Press" (from 2012 to 2019) published 5 books: "Ship Fever", "Seducer", "Andrei Tarkovsky: Elements of Cinema", "Crow", "Crow", " Fragments of Time".
On January 26, the cover reporter contacted the Henan University Press, which currently published the most translations of Jin Xiaoyu, and the relevant person in charge of the propaganda department of the society introduced to the cover news reporter in detail, and the company recognized Jin Xiaoyu's translation very well, "The translation is particularly good, original, appropriate, accurate, gentle and clean. Many readers who have read the original work think that some places even surpass the original work! He also sighed, "There are very few translators like Teacher Jin Xiaoyu who have worked hard." Many people translate are fools, than the price is depressed, very cheap to take orders. A translator like Teacher Jin can't get a few dollars, and the market is not standardized and unreasonable. In the current situation, publishers, responsible translators, and readers are all injured. ”
At one point, it was out of stock
The price of one book rose to 373 yuan
After Jin Xiaoyu became a hot search person on January 18, his translated books were once out of stock on some platforms, and Jin Xiaoyu was the first in the search on the site. On January 26, cover news searched for "Jin Xiaoyu" on Dangdang and JD.com and found that some books had been replenished. According to the head of marketing at Henan University Press, the books translated by Jin Xiaoyu usually sell well, and now there is a small amount of inventory. The goods have been replenished in the past few days. In addition, many of his translations are clearly marked in large characters: Jin Xiaoyu's translations. Some have also increased their prices a lot on a certain platform. For example, the original price of "Andy Warhol's Diary" rose to 373 yuan a piece.
Jin Xiaoyu's father, Jin Sexyong's self-report article, after a large area of the screen on the 17th, quickly led to the sales of his translation. On the evening of the 17th, Chen Yao, the bookstore owner of the Shiyun Book Club in Kaifeng, sent a message about the sales of Jin Xiaoyu's books in the circle of friends. In the afternoon of the same day, the "Dog Son-in-Law", which was originally unpopular in the bookstore for half a year, sold 5 copies in the bookstore online store on the same day, which made him feel "abnormal", read the hot search article, and understood that it was the effect brought about by the screen brushing article.
At noon on January 26, the cover news reporter interviewed Jin Xiaoyu's father Jin Sexyong by phone and mentioned that the books on the Internet about Jin Xiaoyu's translations had once sold out of books, and Jin Sexyong also revealed, "After xiaoyu's translated books are published, the publishing house will generally send ten sample books." Recently, there have been many relatives and friends who have come to visit home, and Xiaoyu's books have been delivered. I couldn't buy it online, so I asked Nanjing University Press. They also did not have it, saying that they would be printed after the Spring Festival. ”
The latest translation will be published
Benjamin is translating
Jin Xiaoyu has now been discharged home from the hospital, and a sample of his new translation of Benjamin's Letters has also been received, which is expected to be published by the Shanghai People's Publishing House next month. The Benjamin Epistles contains more than 300 letters from the German thinker Walter Benjamin, edited by Shoreham and Adorno, chronicled and annotated. It shows Benjamin's profound knowledge and unique writing, reveals the development and change of the ideological trajectory, provides a relationship with the thinkers and various figures of his time, and has special reference value for understanding the European culture and intellectual figures of the first half of the 20th century.
Perhaps because of Jin Xiaoyu's life, due to the twists and turns of fate, other possibilities are small, so he is almost translating with his entire life. In a sense, translation is his outlet and sustenance, and of course, he loves it deeply.
It has also been mentioned that the use of the word "genius" to describe Jin Xiaoyu, although it is conducive to dissemination, is not necessarily very appropriate. Tan Zheng, a professor at the School of Foreign Languages at Fudan University and a director of the Shanghai Translators Association, mentioned in an interview with the media that Jin Xiaoyu was able to overcome his illness, learned several foreign languages by himself, and translated so many books, which is of course very difficult and worthy of admiration, "But I don't like the media to use words like 'genius' to describe him, because he has paid a huge amount of labor to master several foreign languages and complete so many translation work." ”
Regardless of whether "genius" is suitable for describing Jin Xiaoyu, he is an excellent translator who has overcome great difficulties and found the light and heat of his life in the literary translation career, which must be correct.
Let's feel his translation through the fragment of "The Seducer" translated by Jin Xiaoyu, "The beginning of life is an accident. I often think of the little swimmer, of all his kind, he was alone, swimming like crazy to the scorching town, the white room, and his Castor was dead. "That's where the short man rode to me on a tricycle many years ago, sometimes smoothing his hair oiled hair with his hands and sometimes dusting his clean and flawless cuffs."
At present, Jin Xiaoyu is fully translating another work of Benjamin, "The Arcade Project", hoping that he will not be disturbed, have a good state, and quietly translate it.
Exclusive conversations
Father: He is in good shape, resting for a few days to prepare for the Spring Festival
At noon on January 26, the cover reporter dialed the phone of Jin Xiaoyu's father, Jin Shengyong. Jin Sexyong on the phone was gentle and polite, telling reporters how he felt after Jin Xiaoyu became popular overnight, as well as the recent daily life of father and son, and the upcoming Spring Festival plans.
Cover News: Hello Mr. Jin, I am a cover news reporter from Chengdu. After you and your son Jin Xiaoyu received a lot of attention after your self-report article "Hangzhou Man Calls from a Funeral Home: Can You Write About Our Genius Son" published in Hangzhou Daily on January 17. Many media reporters come to your home to interview. Many readers are also worried about disturbing you and Teacher Xiaoyu. What is the current state of your home?
Jin Sexyong: It's okay, it's okay, the family has slowly calmed down these days. Reporters are leaving one after another. A few days ago, CCTV came to the house for an interview, and after a few days, it conducted a video interview with Xiaoyu.
Cover News: I watched the CCTV interview. Teacher Xiaoyu said it well in front of the camera. How is he currently in health? It's about to celebrate the Spring Festival, what are your plans? Will he stop translating during the Chinese New Year and take a break?
Jin Sexyong: Xiaoyu is in a very good state now, but he can't cut off the medicine. We are not going to go out during the Spring Festival. Xiaoyu's mother was also gone. This year, relatives and friends will come to the house for the New Year. Including Xiaoyu's aunt. These days, let Xiaoyu have a good rest. Wait until after the Spring Festival to start the translation work.
Cover News: In general, how is Xiaoyu's usual translation work at home arranged?
Jin Sexyong: Usually, after eating in the morning, I sit in front of the computer to translate, eat lunch after three or four hours, and then take a lunch break to continue translating until 5:30 p.m. Rest at night and stop working. Xiaoyu's translation speed is relatively fast. Can translate 5 to 10 pages a day.
Cover News: What books will you read besides translation?
Jin Sexyong: Now he has almost no time to read "idle books". Because before translating a book, he had to read through the original book. Like the latest translation of the "Benjamin Letters", the Shanghai People's Publishing House will soon publish. The book was translated from German. Now he is translating Benjamin's The Arcade Project. The book is thick and has more than 1200 pages. It is estimated that it will take two years to translate them all. He has now translated about 300 pages.
Cover News: This time received such a high level of attention, many people also gave Xiaoyu a lot of warm encouragement. It has also promoted the attention of the whole society. How are you feeling right now, and what makes you feel relieved?
Jin Sexyong: I frankly said that I received so much attention this time, and I also thank all parties for their warm feedback. What makes me most happy is that I have solved the things that I am most concerned about.
Cover News: What's the thing you care about the most?
Jin Shengyong: It was Xiaoyu who was recommended to join the Zhejiang Translation Association. The person in charge of the association has sent Xiaoyu a letter of appointment and membership card of the director of the Zhejiang Translation Association. This is my greatest wish. Why? Because of Xiaoyu's work and life, he rarely deals with outsiders, and the contact area is too narrow. By joining this translation association, he can make some friends in the translation industry. In particular, many of the people in that association were senior translators, professors and experts. Then once there is an opportunity to hold a meeting, Xiaoyu can communicate with them more and establish a connection. And they are all translation colleagues, and it is easier to have a common language with each other. In this way, I am relieved. In addition, joining the Translators Association is an honor and an encouragement. I think Xiaoyu will continue to work hard, translate well, and translate more good books for readers.
Jin Xiaoyu translated as an introduction
"Good Seats in the Theater"
Author: [U.S.] Ann Part
Translator: Jin Xiaoyu
Publisher: Henan University Press
This is a collection of essays by anthony Ann Parcht, a contemporary American novelist. Takes the reader into her real world of life, stretching from her childhood to today, from a disastrous early marriage to a happy post-marital affair. The collection covers many topics, including relationships with family and friends, the hardships and joys of writing, and opening unexpectedly happy bookstores.
Fragments of Time
Author: [Irish] John Banville
Publisher: Nanjing University Publishing Co., Ltd.
A wandering essay dedicated to literary and artistic youth, roaming the literary geography, tracing the secrets of time and passing. Paris to Hemingway is a feast of flow, and the same is true of Dublin to Banville: Joyce, Yeats, Beckett, etc. gather here to find their literary dreams in Dublin. Under the guidance of Banville, a wonderful and unique trip to Dublin was unfolded, returning to the golden age of creation full of literary atmosphere, wandering in the culture, architecture, society, history of Dublin at this time, and the literary dating memory and creation scene of Banville...
The Diary of Andy Warhol
Author: [U.S.] Andy Warhol
This is a collection of diaries by The American pop master Andy Warhol, compiled by Warhol's personal secretary after the artist's death from his voluminous diary. This tome anthology chronicles Warhol's life from November 1976 to February 1987, covering anecdotes from the Oscars, anecdotes from the New York fashion scene, the artist's travels to and from London, New York, and Paris, and even a detailed breakdown of the artist's daily expenses, making it a true record of Warhol's world of life, thoughts, and emotions. In addition, the book also sketches the daily silhouettes of the American social elite of that period, such as Jim Morrison, Martin Scorsese, and others, which can be called a faithful portrayal of the life of American high society at that time.
The Crow
Author: [U.S.] Boria Sachs
This is a collection of fantasy stories featuring crows, a classic that bird lovers can't avoid. Saxophone put aside the boring scientific language and academic language, told the classic or little-known story about the crow, subverted the human stereotype of the crow with a rare broad vision and vivid brushstrokes, and used the crow as the starting point to explore the mysteries of history, culture, literature, art, folklore, nature and other fields.
The Diary of a Walk with Language
Author: [Japanese] Tawada Leaf
This book is a collection of essays written by Leaf Tawada based on what she heard and saw while living in Germany, and is part of her series "Self-Observation Diaries". She begins with a subtle sense of discord encountered in everyday life, and in a humorous and humorous way, she explores the irreconcilable rupture between German and Japanese cultures, which are hidden behind the language differences.
Andrei Tarkovsky: Elements of Cinema
Author: [U.S.] Robert Bird
The book deals with Tarkovsky's major film works, with a wide range of discussions and informative materials, with more than a hundred precious images, and a long introduction to the book. Here, you're not dealing with obscure movies, but engaging puzzle games.
"Dog Son-in-Law Comes to the Door"
It's a folkloric story hidden in the city. It tells the story of an ordinary town along the Tama River, where a cram school called "Kitamura Juku" is popular with children. Kitamura Mizuko told them the story of "dog son-in-law coming to the door", and it turned out that there was really a "dog man" who came uninvited, and she and this person named Taro began a wonderful two-person life. This work has won the "Wasagawa Prize".
The Seducer
The protagonist of the book is a fictional mathematical genius from a poor background and a reclusive personality, Gabriel Swann. The Seducer unfolds in Swann's self-narration and is a modern interpretation of Faust.
"Ship Fever"
Author: [U.S.] Andrea Barrett
The novel depicts a young doctor working at an isolation station on Gross Isle, Canada. It's a brutal story, but it's told without the slightest flinching. Barrett's convincing blend of truth and fiction conveys a unique worldview through her prose, which is simple and refined, and can evoke people's emotional memories.