SBUS-CXK
BANNED
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2016
- Messages
- 5,787
- Reaction score
- -14
- Country
- Location
Chinese web novels gaining ground in Thailand
Print editions of Thai language versions of Chinese web novels Photo: Courtesy of Raz Mey
Nichapat Thonnaratana cosplays as fictional Chinese character Lan Wangji Photo: Courtesy of Nichapat Thonnaratana
With great satisfaction, Nichapat Thonnaratana, a 24-year-old editorial assistant in Bangkok, shared her new cosplay photos she took recently at a local studio on her Facebook account. In one picture, Thonnaratana, dressed in a men's white Hanfu (the traditional clothing of the Han ethnic group) with embroidered light blue clouds on the shoulders, peaks thoughtfully at a wine jar held in her right hand.
Thonnaratana was cosplaying as Lan Wangji, the main character in the Chinese web novel Modao Zushi (Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation). When she heard that the studio was known for taking amazing shots of the characters from the novel, Thonnaratana became very excited and decided to go take pictures with her friend.
A fan of Chinese web novels for nearly seven years, she told the Global Times that she is not alone as more young Thai people than ever before are reading literature from China nowadays.
The influence of Chinese online novels reaches far beyond Thailand and even Asia. According to a 2018 report on the development of Chinese web novels from Yuewen, a major Chinese online literature platform, more than 14 million unique visitors have used their overseas site Webnovel.
Far-reaching impact
According to the Yuewen report, Chinese web novels first got their foot in the door to overseas markets by selling the copyrights to local publishers, after which overseas platforms were established by Chinese companies so they could export this type of literature on their own. The influence of Chinese web novels has become so great, that some writers outside of China have started to produce their own original stories inspired by Chinese online literature.
This emerging group of non-Chinese writers imitating Chinese web novels has come about partially due to the difficulties involving translation of Chinese online literature, which, according to Thonnaratana, often has a direct impact on the popularity of a work.
"It's quite a pity when a novel is good but the translator does a poor job translating it," she noted.
In the end, some people decided it was actually better to write their own stories instead of taking the chance they would poorly translating someone else's work.
Mai, a freelancer translator who just finished translating two Chinese web novels for a newly established publisher, thinks that cultural differences are the main obstacles when it comes to translation.
"It's difficult to find Thai counterparts for many Chinese words, metaphors and jokes," she explained.
She said she was surprised to find that there were so many Chinese expressions dedicated to praising a woman's beauty and quickly discovered that the Thai language lacked equivalent words that conveyed the same meanings as the Chinese.
Rising popularity
There are numerous factors behind the rise in popularity of Chinese web novels in Thailand, one being that these works can act as a bridge between the two cultures.
Raz Mey, a master graduate with duel degrees in English and international relations who also holds a bachelor degree in Chinese, says she enjoys reading these works because they help her better understand Chinese culture, such as how ancient Chinese carried out wedding ceremonies and the meaning behind traditional arts such as paper-cutting or rituals carried out during festivals.
Mai noted that the length of Chinese web novels, which can be more than 100 chapters long, has also appealed to readers. Many fans feel that plots and storylines in these works are more genuine and fully developed because they have room to grow over the numerous chapters, while the average Thai web novels feels more forced and underdeveloped as they are usually just 30 to 40 chapters in length.
Another reason for the rising popularity of Chinese web novels in Thailand is access. Readers in the country are not limited to reading these novels while connected to the internet, they can also turn to traditional channels.
Mey told the Global Times that she actually prefers to buy the paper versions of Chinese web novels. She noted that she has so many books that she barely has room for them at her place anymore.
Apart from buying books in bookstores, Thai readers can also borrow them from public libraries or rent them from shops. Buying and selling used copies of these books online has also become a major trend for those looking to save some money.
Diverse genres
In terms of which genre of Chinese web novels is the most popular in Thailand, interviewees gave differing opinions.
Mey is a loyal reader of the Chinese romance genre. Mai, who has experience translating urban romance stories, said she thinks this genre is one of the most popular.
Noticeably, Thonnaratana and Mey's sister are big fans of the genre known as "boys' love," or BL, which they believe is the current most popular genre. Lan Wangji, the character Thonnaratana cosplayed as, ends up falling in love with another man in the novel.
Online data seems to support their theory. On Jamsai, one of the leading web novels publishers in Thailand, three out of the five most popular web novels for February were BL novels. Thonnaratana attributed the increasing popularity of this genre to the more open attitude in Thai society toward gender.
This echoes the Yuewen report, which noted that the genres of popular Chinese web novels have noticeably expanded in recent years. No longer do fantasy and traditional romance stories dominate, sci-fi and BL novels are also gaining ground.
Newspaper headline: Crossing boundaries
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1140502.shtml
Print editions of Thai language versions of Chinese web novels Photo: Courtesy of Raz Mey
Nichapat Thonnaratana cosplays as fictional Chinese character Lan Wangji Photo: Courtesy of Nichapat Thonnaratana
With great satisfaction, Nichapat Thonnaratana, a 24-year-old editorial assistant in Bangkok, shared her new cosplay photos she took recently at a local studio on her Facebook account. In one picture, Thonnaratana, dressed in a men's white Hanfu (the traditional clothing of the Han ethnic group) with embroidered light blue clouds on the shoulders, peaks thoughtfully at a wine jar held in her right hand.
Thonnaratana was cosplaying as Lan Wangji, the main character in the Chinese web novel Modao Zushi (Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation). When she heard that the studio was known for taking amazing shots of the characters from the novel, Thonnaratana became very excited and decided to go take pictures with her friend.
A fan of Chinese web novels for nearly seven years, she told the Global Times that she is not alone as more young Thai people than ever before are reading literature from China nowadays.
The influence of Chinese online novels reaches far beyond Thailand and even Asia. According to a 2018 report on the development of Chinese web novels from Yuewen, a major Chinese online literature platform, more than 14 million unique visitors have used their overseas site Webnovel.
Far-reaching impact
According to the Yuewen report, Chinese web novels first got their foot in the door to overseas markets by selling the copyrights to local publishers, after which overseas platforms were established by Chinese companies so they could export this type of literature on their own. The influence of Chinese web novels has become so great, that some writers outside of China have started to produce their own original stories inspired by Chinese online literature.
This emerging group of non-Chinese writers imitating Chinese web novels has come about partially due to the difficulties involving translation of Chinese online literature, which, according to Thonnaratana, often has a direct impact on the popularity of a work.
"It's quite a pity when a novel is good but the translator does a poor job translating it," she noted.
In the end, some people decided it was actually better to write their own stories instead of taking the chance they would poorly translating someone else's work.
Mai, a freelancer translator who just finished translating two Chinese web novels for a newly established publisher, thinks that cultural differences are the main obstacles when it comes to translation.
"It's difficult to find Thai counterparts for many Chinese words, metaphors and jokes," she explained.
She said she was surprised to find that there were so many Chinese expressions dedicated to praising a woman's beauty and quickly discovered that the Thai language lacked equivalent words that conveyed the same meanings as the Chinese.
Rising popularity
There are numerous factors behind the rise in popularity of Chinese web novels in Thailand, one being that these works can act as a bridge between the two cultures.
Raz Mey, a master graduate with duel degrees in English and international relations who also holds a bachelor degree in Chinese, says she enjoys reading these works because they help her better understand Chinese culture, such as how ancient Chinese carried out wedding ceremonies and the meaning behind traditional arts such as paper-cutting or rituals carried out during festivals.
Mai noted that the length of Chinese web novels, which can be more than 100 chapters long, has also appealed to readers. Many fans feel that plots and storylines in these works are more genuine and fully developed because they have room to grow over the numerous chapters, while the average Thai web novels feels more forced and underdeveloped as they are usually just 30 to 40 chapters in length.
Another reason for the rising popularity of Chinese web novels in Thailand is access. Readers in the country are not limited to reading these novels while connected to the internet, they can also turn to traditional channels.
Mey told the Global Times that she actually prefers to buy the paper versions of Chinese web novels. She noted that she has so many books that she barely has room for them at her place anymore.
Apart from buying books in bookstores, Thai readers can also borrow them from public libraries or rent them from shops. Buying and selling used copies of these books online has also become a major trend for those looking to save some money.
Diverse genres
In terms of which genre of Chinese web novels is the most popular in Thailand, interviewees gave differing opinions.
Mey is a loyal reader of the Chinese romance genre. Mai, who has experience translating urban romance stories, said she thinks this genre is one of the most popular.
Noticeably, Thonnaratana and Mey's sister are big fans of the genre known as "boys' love," or BL, which they believe is the current most popular genre. Lan Wangji, the character Thonnaratana cosplayed as, ends up falling in love with another man in the novel.
Online data seems to support their theory. On Jamsai, one of the leading web novels publishers in Thailand, three out of the five most popular web novels for February were BL novels. Thonnaratana attributed the increasing popularity of this genre to the more open attitude in Thai society toward gender.
This echoes the Yuewen report, which noted that the genres of popular Chinese web novels have noticeably expanded in recent years. No longer do fantasy and traditional romance stories dominate, sci-fi and BL novels are also gaining ground.
Newspaper headline: Crossing boundaries
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1140502.shtml
