Bai Meigui Translation Prize Explained

The Bai Meigui Translation Prize is a translation prize awarded annually by the Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing,^{[1] [2]} at the University of Leeds.

About the Prize

The aim of the prize is to introduce Chinese writers to English readers, and develop literary translators working from Chinese to English. The judges are practising literary translators. The literary genre and prize change annually, but the Centre always seeks to develop the translator by publishing the translation, thereby giving exposure to both writer and translator, and when possible, offering further training in literary translation.

Winners of the Prize

1st Bai Meigui Prize (2015)

Winners: Natascha Bruce^[3] and Michael Day
Genre: surreal short story Chicken by Dorothy Tse
Prize: 1 week at a translation summer school, and publication in Structo magazine^[4]
Judges: Nicky Harman, Jeremy Tiang, Helen Wang^[5]

2nd Bai Meigui Prize (2016)

Winner: Luisetta Mudie
Genre: Literary non-fiction piece by Li Jingrui
Prize: 1 week at a translation summer school, and publication on Read Paper Republic^{[6] [7]}
Judges: Nicky Harman, Dave Haysom, Helen Wang^[8]

3rd Bai Meigui Prize (2017)

Winner: Helen Tat and Liu Jia
Genre: Poetry by Chi Lingyun, Qin Xiaoyu, Xu Xiangchou
Prize: Publication in Stand magazine^[9]
Judges: Canaan Morse, Eleanor Goodman, Heather Inwood^[10]

4th Bai Meigui Prize (2018)

Winner: Jasmine Alexander
Genre: Children's picture book, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival by Meng Yanan
Prize: Publication of bilingual picture book with Balestier Press^[11]
Judges: Minjie Chen, Helen Wang, Adam Lanphier^[12]
See: Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, by Meng Yanan, tr. Jasmine Alexander (Balestier Press, 2018) ISBN 978-1911221326

5th Bai Meigui Prize (2019)

Winner: Bill Leverett
Genre: short story by Chan Ho-kei
Prize: Publication in Pathlight journal of Chinese contemporary literature
Judges: Jeremy Tiang, Tammy Ho Lai-Ming, Natascha Bruce^{[13] [14]}

6th Bai Meigui Prize (2020)

Winner: Izzy Hasson
Genre: Children's picture book, Sleepy Sleepy New Year by Meng Yanan
Prize: Publication of bilingual picture book with Balestier Press
Judges: Minjie Chen, Colin Goh, Helen Wang^[15]
See: Sleepy Sleepy New Year, by Meng Yanan, tr. Izzy Hasson (Balestier Press, 2020) ISBN 978-1911221777

7th Bai Meigui Prize (2021)

Winner: Francesca Jordan
Genre: Literature from Taiwan, a piece by Yang Shuangzi 楊双子
Prize: Bursary for the ‘Bristol Translates’ Literary Translation Summer School
Judges: Susan Wan Dolling, Mike Fu, Darryl Sterk^[16]

8th Bai Meigui Prize (2022)

Winner: Hongyu Jasmine Zhu
Genre: Picture book from Taiwan
Prize: Mentorship by Helen Wang, and publication of bilingual picture book with Balestier Press
Judges: Nicky Harman, Amanda Ruiqing Flynn, Jennifer Feeley^[17]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Contemporary literature helps West better understand China.
2. Web site: The naked truth.
3. Web site: Natascha Bruce (2016 ALTA Mentee).
4. Web site: Structo issue 14. Issuu.
5. Web site: The Inaugural Bai Meigui Competition: Fiction : The Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing. writingchinese.leeds.ac.uk.
6. Web site: Read Paper Republic: One Day, One of the Screws Will Come Loose. Eric. Abrahamsen. Paper Republic.
7. Web site: In China, writing reality as fiction – by Li Jingrui. helenwanglondon. 12 February 2017.
8. Web site: The 2nd Bai Meigui Competition: Non-fiction : The Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing. writingchinese.leeds.ac.uk.
9. Web site: Stand Magazine Literary, Poetry, Prose, online poetry and prose resource - Stand Issue 213, Volume 15 Number 1 Contents. www.standmagazine.org.
10. Web site: The 3rd Bai Meigui Competition: Poetry : The Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing. writingchinese.leeds.ac.uk.
11. Web site: November 2018: Meng Yanan 孟亚楠 : The Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing. writingchinese.leeds.ac.uk.
12. Web site: The 4th Bai Meigui Competition: Picture Book : The Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing. writingchinese.leeds.ac.uk.
13. Web site: Competition : The Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing. writingchinese.leeds.ac.uk.
14. Web site: Competition : The Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing. writingchinese.leeds.ac.uk. 2019-07-16.
15. Web site: Competition : The Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing. 2020-07-20. writingchinese.leeds.ac.uk.
16. Web site: Competition : The Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing. 2022-03-02. writingchinese.leeds.ac.uk.
17. Web site: Competition : The Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing. 2024-04-11. writingchinese.leeds.ac.uk.