Malaysian Crossings: Place and Language in the Worlding of Modern Chinese Literature

Malaysian Chinese (Mahua) literature is marginalized on several fronts, including in the international literary space, which privileges the West. However, Mahua authors have produced creative and thought-provoking works that have won growing critical recognition, showing Malaysia to be a laboratory for imaginative Chinese writing. Cheow Thia Chan demonstrates that authors grasp of their marginality in the world-Chinese literary space has been the impetus for aesthetic inventiveness, highlighting the historical links between Malaysia and other Chinese-speaking regions. Chan examines narrative representations of multilingual social realities and authorial reflections on colonial Malaya or independent Malaysia as valid literary terrain, contending that new perspectives from the periphery are essential to understanding the globalization of modern Chinese literature.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 27 December 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

Malaysian Chinese (Mahua) literature faces significant marginalization on multiple fronts. In the global literary landscape, which often favors Western narratives, Malaysia is perceived as remote. The institutions of modern Chinese literature prioritize mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Within Malaysia, only texts written in Malay, the national language, are considered national literature by the state. However, Mahua authors have produced innovative and thought-provoking works that have gained increasing critical acclaim, showcasing Malaysia as a fertile ground for imaginative Chinese writing.

To shed light on Mahua literature's unique evolutionary path, Cheow Thia Chan emphasizes how authors have leveraged their marginalization within the world-Chinese literary sphere to fuel their aesthetic creativity. He highlights the historical connections between Malaysia and other Chinese-speaking regions, tracing how Mahua writers navigate interconnected literary spaces to contribute to the "worlding" of modern Chinese literature. Chan focuses on writers such as Lin Cantian, Han Suyin, Wang Anyi, and Li Yongping, whose works establish distinctive literary languages. By examining narrative representations of multilingual social realities and authorial reflections on colonial Malaya or independent Malaysia, Chan demonstrates how these writers have carved out valid literary terrain.

Malaysian Crossings: Inter-Asian Crossings of Mahua Literary Production delves into the inter-Asian "crossings" of Mahua literary production, encompassing physical journeys, interactions among social groups, and mindset shifts. Spanning from the 1930s to the 2000s, Chan argues that new perspectives from the periphery are crucial in understanding the globalization of modern Chinese literature. By emphasizing the inner diversities and interconnected histories in the margins, Malaysian Crossings presents a compelling argument for re-mapping global Chinese literature and world literature.

In conclusion, Malaysian Chinese (Mahua) literature has faced significant marginalization in the global literary landscape. However, Mahua authors have demonstrated their resilience and creativity by producing innovative and thought-provoking works that have gained increasing critical recognition. By exploring the historical connections between Malaysia and other Chinese-speaking regions, Chan highlights how Mahua writers have contributed to the "worlding" of modern Chinese literature. Malaysian Crossings: Inter-Asian Crossings of Mahua Literary Production provides valuable insights into the inter-Asian "crossings" of Mahua literary production, emphasizing the importance of new perspectives from the periphery in understanding the globalization of modern Chinese literature.

Weight: 472g
Dimension: 151 x 228 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231203395