Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies, University of Michigan

Literary imaginations about modern China are often synonymous with imaginations about “new people.” This talk focuses on how such imaginations unfolded and evolved in 20th-century Chinese science fiction. In particular, it calls attention to the dynamic interaction between translation and creation, and to the genre’s close engagement with ongoing ideological and literary debates within the national context. Jing Jiang is Associate Professor of Chinese and Humanities at Reed College. She teaches courses on Chinese language, literature, and culture. Aside from her book on twentieth century Chinese science fiction, she is also published in Asian Cinema, Modern Chinese Literature and Culture, Cultural Critique, and positions. She received the ACLS Pauline Yu Fellowship in 2020, and is currently working on a new book project tentatively titled "The World Embedded in Modern Chinese Literary Imagination."