Mabel Lee ( zh, 陳順妍, b. 1939) is a

translator Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''trans ...

, best-known for her English renditions of fiction and essays by

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...

-winning author

Gao Xingjian Gao Xingjian ( zh, 高行健; born January 4, 1940) is a Chinese émigré and later French naturalized novelist, playwright, critic, painter, photographer, film director, and translator who in 2000 was awarded the 2000 Nobel Prize in Literature, ...

. A third-generation Chinese-Australian born in

Warialda Warialda is a town in the North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia, in Gwydir Shire. It is situated on the banks of Warialda Creek. At the , Warialda had a population of 1,120. Transport The Gwydir Highway runs through town and ...

, she taught Chinese literature and Asian studies at the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...

, where she is now an Adjunct Professor. An Honorary Fellow of the Australian Society for Asian Humanities, she is among

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

's leading authorities on Chinese cultural affairs. Lee had already begun translation of the

poems Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

of Chinese writer, Yang Lian when she met

, in Paris in 1991. After that meeting, Lee offered to translate '' Soul Mountain'', a project which took seven years, and an additional two to find a publisher for the book in Australia. Following publication, Gao Xingjian became the first Chinese-language writer to win a

in Literature. Lee's translation won the 2001 New South Wales Premier's Literary Award for Translation despite criticism about the book, and her translation's quality. After her retirement from teaching, she translated another of Gao's novels, '' One Man's Bible'', as well as a short-story collection and a book of his essays. With Agnieszka Syrokomla-Stefanowska, she founded

Wild Peony Press Wild Peony Press was a Sydney-based independent press, dedicated to fostering the better understanding of Asian cultures in English-speaking countries, with a particular focus on Australian scholarship and translation. Founded by Mabel Lee and Agn ...

, which was active between 1980 and 2009 and published translations from East Asian literature as well as Australian scholarship on Asia. In 2012 Lee's translation of a collection of essays, ''Gao Xingjian: Aesthetics and Creation'' was published by

Cambria Press Cambria Press is an independent academic publisher based in Amherst, New York. The publishing company was established by 2006, with its first titles released in September of that year.Blackwell Book Services (2007) Cambria publishes academic mono ...

as part of the Cambria

Sinophone Sinophone, which means "Chinese language, Chinese-speaking", typically refers to an individual who speaks at least one Varieties of Chinese, variety of Chinese (that is, one of the Sinitic languages). Academic writers often use the term Sinophone ...

World Series headed by

Victor H. Mair Victor Henry Mair (; born March 25, 1943) is an American Sinology, sinologist currently serving as a professor of Chinese language, Chinese at the University of Pennsylvania. Among other accomplishments, Mair has edited the standard ''Columbia His ...

References

Australian people of Chinese descent Linguists from Australia Australian women linguists Chinese–English translators Living people Year of birth missing (living people) {{Australia-translator-stub