Translations - Ian Rowen

天珠：藏人传奇 Tibetan Environmentalists in China: The King of Dzi

By Liu Jianqiang. Translated by Ian Rowen, Cyrus K. Hui, and Emily T. Yeh. Rowman & Littlefield (2015)

This book weaves together the life stories of five extraordinary contemporary Tibetans involved in environmental protection… In the politically fraught and ever-worsening situation for Tibetans within China today, it is often said that the only possible path for a better solution will be through a change in the way that the majority Chinese society thinks about and understands Tibetans, their aspirations, histories, and desires. This book provides the first such account by drawing readers in with beautiful narrative prose and fascinating stories, and then using their attention to demystify Tibetans, cultivating in the reader a sense of empathy as well as facts upon which to rebuild an intercultural understanding. It is the first work that seriously aims to let the Chinese public understand Tibetans as both products of an admirable culture and as complex individuals negotiating religious ideals, economic change, and sociopolitical constraints. In short it opens up a whole new way of understanding Tibet.

From December 2016 review by Katia Buffetrille in Études mongoles et sibériennes, centrasiatiques et tibétaines:

…We are indebted to Ian Rowen, Cyrus K. Hui and Emily Yeh for the English version published in 2015… This book is a must read not only for scholars and experts interested in contemporary Tibet but for anyone concerned with environmental issues. The author addresses one of the most fundamental problems, which concerns the whole world: the ecological protection of Tibet, a country that became a colony of China in the 1950s and is currently facing the looting of its natural resources. He highlights the many difficulties met by environmentalists in China and especially Tibetans, and the risks they face, including long prison terms and even murder.

This book also demonstrates that ecology is a field where Tibetans and Chinese can meet on an equal footing and work together in mutual respect. Nevertheless, their fight is far from over and recurring events show that Chinese authorities continue to trample their own laws and to destroy the Tibetan environment, without respect for its holy sites, its rivers, its pastures, or its land.

刺青 Spider Lilies

Directed by Zero Chou (2007). Script translated by Ian Rowen.

From Review in AfterEllen.com

Taiwanese lesbian director Zero Chou’s latest film, Spider Lilies (Ci qing), seems on the surface to be light and music video-like, with its bright colors, cybersex story line and tattoos. But this film, which won the Teddy Award for Best Feature Film at the Berlin Film Festival, is actually quite an intense story about the impact of trauma on the lives of two women and their families…

Review in New York Times >>

豔光四射歌舞團 Splendid Float

Directed by Lee Chi-yuarn (2006). Subtitles translated by Ian Rowen.

From Review in Make Me Blush:

“In Chi Y. Lee’s “Chocolate Rap“, the story follows 25 year old Hung Chen aka Chocolate whose direction-less life disappoints his father (who works at an ice plant). He would spend his days loafing around Taipei streets and tenements dancing – “breaking” – with his friend Pachinko (Po-Ching Huang). With the arrival of Ally (Megan Lai), a determined pianist who never wins a competition, her presence puts a strain on their relationship when both friends get attracted to her. After a motorcycle accident, where Choco fractures his leg, this further tears them apart. Once healed, Choco tries to ignore dancing altogether, and starts to help his father at the ice plant. But the lure of the beat is just hard to resist. Especially when he gets his father’s blessing this time around”

Tongue Diagnosis for Warm Disease

Publisher’s Description (People’s Medical Publishing House, 2006):

As an important diagnostic method in febrile disease, tongue inspection has been highly valued by doctors throughout the ages. This book is an excellent introduction to warm disease pathology and its affect on the tongue. With over 100 photographs to illustrate the various changes and commonly seen patterns and formula recommendations, this book is a useful reference tool for students and practitioners alike.