Shuangyi Li Livres

The book traces the literary journey that Proust’s work made to China and back by means of translation, intertextual engagement, and the creation of a transcultural dialogue through migrant literature. It begins with a translation history of Proust’s work in China and studies the different (re)translations and editions of La Recherche highlighting their culturally conditioned thematic emphases and negligence, such as time and memory over anti-Semitism and homosexuality. The book then moves on to explore three contemporary mainland Chinese writers’ creative intertextual engagement with Proust against the backdrop of China's explosive development from modernity to post-modernity in the 1990s. Finally, back to France, the book examines the multifarious literary relations between Proust and the Franco-Chinese migrant writer François Cheng. It demonstrates how the cultural heritages of China and the West can be re-negotiated and put into dialogue through the fictional and creative medium of literature, as well as providing a means of understanding the economic, political, and cultural exchanges in our current global context.

The book explores the works of four first-generation Chinese migrant writer-artists in France, highlighting their multifaceted contributions to literature and art. Each artist, while achieving significant recognition in France, integrates elements of their Chinese heritage into their French creations. The text delves into their roles as writers, translators, and various other artistic identities, emphasizing a unique translingual and transmedial sensibility. Additionally, it offers a theoretical framework for understanding the interplay between French and Chinese cultural spaces, enriching discussions on global literature and intermediality.