On UC Center for Asian Studies, Editorial Noctámbula and the Millennium Nucleus ICLAC organized a conversation that delved into the complexities and challenges of "Playing with Mirrors: Essays on the Translation of Asian Cultures in Latin America", a book published by editorial Noctámbula and in collaboration with the UC Center for Asian Studies and ICLAC. The activity was held last July 11 with the support of the Nueva Altamira Bookstore and brought together prominent voices in translation and Asian studies, offering an interdisciplinary look at how the cultural richness of the continent is understood and transmitted in our region.
The conversation featured the participation of ICLAC researcher and professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, José Miguel Vidal; Juan Luis Perelló, Japanese-Spanish translator; and Eduardo Bustamante, writer and bookseller at Nueva Altamira; moderated by Jessica Sequeira from the UC Center for Asian Studies and ICLAC postdoctoral researcher. The dialogue addressed various aspects of the book, which brings together reflections from 26 translators, writers and editors on their experiences with Asian cultures. Topics such as literary work transformations, editorial decisions, diaspora reception and cultural translations beyond the written word were part of the conversation.
For his part, researcher José Miguel Vidal shared his vision of translation, noting that for him, translating is a fundamental tool in his research of pre-modern China, especially from the 16th to early 20th centuries, a period with scarce available translations. During the meeting, he shared the work behind his essay that forms part of the book Playing with Mirrors and that explores the connection of poet Pablo de Rokha with China. His research led him to unearth the writer's link with the Asian country, including a book of his that he had written during trips to China and that was believed lost, stolen, or disappeared from the National Library.
"Playing with Mirrors" presents itself as a vital and challenging publication, demonstrating the growing relevance of Asia in Latin America and the need to continue exploring new forms of understanding and cultural exchange. The book's authors are Nicolás Braessas, Martín Felipe Castagnet, Marcela Chandía, Miguel Damatac, Mónica Drouilly Hurtado, Juan Elgueda, Ernesto González Barnert, Camila Gutiérrez, Banu Karakas, Anna Kazumi Stahl, Ignacio Oliden, Pablo Lacroix, Claudia Lira, María Montt, Felipe Orellana, Juan Luis Perelló, Miguel Ángel Petrecca, Alexsandro Pizziolo, Berenice Ramos, María Elvira Ríos, Jessica Sequeira, Elisa Silva, Juan Manuel Silva, Paulo Slachevsky, José Miguel Vidal, Keke Wang.