Practicing Transcultural Subjectivity

This paper combs through Chong Fah Hing’s academic scholarship and translation practices of Malaysian Chinese (Mahua) literature and culture over the past 20 years. It explores the sources of his thoughts, research approaches and the significance of his work to the study of Mahua literature. The keyword “subjectivity” (zhuti xing) continuously appears in Chong’s writings, though the “subject” is not self-evident. This paper posits that Chong Fah Hing centers on the concept of the “transcultural subjectivity” to seek solutions to the “Mahua problems”. His thought and practice also demonstrate the deep concern of Third World intellectuals regarding the problems of national, linguistic, and cultural identity. The paper focuses on two aspects of Chong’s scholarship and practice: left-wing thoughts and translation. On one hand, Chong views the left-wing as a repressed social movement and literary thought in Malaysia, tracing the transnational consciousness of the left-wing spirit. On the other hand, in his translation work, he practices translingual approaches and considers the political functions of translation, aiming to break through the barriers created by the Malaysian state cultural establishments. Both can be seen as Chong’s responses to the Mahua problems, and they also demonstrate his aspiration to establish an ideal transcultural “Mahua minzu” subjectivity

Archaeology · Asian studies · China · Epistemology · Political science · Praxis · Scholarship · Sociology · Subjectivity · Anthropology · Asian Studies and History · Gender Studies · History · Linguistic, Cultural, and Literary Studies · Philosophy · Socioeconomic Development in Asia