Wang Yuanyuan, Tang Yuting

    cheekywang@hotmail.com

    FOR many Chinese people, He Jiahong may be known more as a remarkable legal scholar, but he has made his name overseas with his series of crime novels centered around do-gooder lawyer Hong Jun.

    He’s first novel, “Hanging Devils,” was recently translated into English and published by Penguin China.

    In this book, He combines his passion for literature and his professional knowledge of the Chinese legal system, reflecting China’s society and development with his years of experience in legal procedures and crime investigation.

    China’s Nobel laureate Mo Yan said He’s works were easy and fun to read. “As a writer, I am tired of reading novels, particularly novels with grand background and deep meanings. But I find He’s crime thrillers very easy and interesting to read. As a legal expert, there is no flaw in the story and his rich life experience makes everything and every scene vivid. His writing teaches me how to make reading easy and fun,” Mo said.

    Birth of ‘Hanging Devils’

    He, a law professor at the Beijing-based Renmin University of China, returned to China in 1994 after studying in the United States. “I always liked writing and literature, so I decided to write a crime series like Sherlock Holmes, which is one of my favorite detective series,” he said.

    Although He decided to use a lawyer instead of a private detective as his main character, he found it hard to start as “you need a good reason for a lawyer to begin investigating a case.” In 1993, private detectives were banned in China.

    Just when he was facing the fact that he didn’t know where to start, he stumbled upon a real-life crime. “There was a case of injustice regarding a rape case which received widespread attention across the country at that time. The law school of the university was asked to conduct DNA tests to help re-open the investigation, and this case inspired me,” he said.

    “Hanging Devils” is set in a State farm in rural Northeast China in 1984. A local beauty Li Hongmei is raped and murdered and a suspect is sentenced to jail shortly afterwards. However, several years later, the brother of the suspect has become rich and hired well-known lawyer Hong Jun to re-open the case. Hong uncovers sins of the past and delves deep into the sleazy underbelly of China’s corrupt legal system.

    After the series was released, He received an email from a French postgraduate student who was very interested in the book, which was called “Crime of Blood” at the time. The student, who majored in comparative literature at a French university, was fluent in Chinese, and later wrote his dissertation about the book.

    “A few years later, he said a French publishing house was very interested in my book after reading his dissertation, so he wanted to translate it into French. As the first book sold well in French, the publisher then published the rest of my books,” he said.

    Influenced by the French literary market, Penguin China decided to introduce the book to the English world in 2006.

    “They first found an English translator for me, but decided not to use his work as he used many British slang words. Later they introduced Duncan Hewitt, author of ‘Getting Rich First,’ to me and he finished the translation in 2010,” he said.

    Going global

    After Mo won the Nobel Prize in Literature last year, the idea of Chinese writers “going global” is once again a topic of discussion in Chinese literary circles.

    Among Chinese authors, He — who calls himself a non-professional author — may not be one of the most famous writers in China, but he does have the highest “export rate” as all of his work (five novels and one short story) has been “exported” to the overseas market.

    “I think it is most important to consider how an author is being introduced to overseas readers at the beginning. For example, Mo first became known abroad due to the movie ‘Red Sorghum.’ After this, people started to be interested in his other work,” He said.

    He got his break with the translation of his first novel. “Once the world knows and likes you and your work, it then becomes easier for you to introduce your other works,” he said.

    So far, He’s novels have been translated into French and Italian, and Penguin China is also working with him on the English translation of a second book.

    He said that the genre of his books is also an important factor for overseas readers.

    “Many Chinese readers don’t like reading Chinese crime stories because they are too familiar with Chinese society, but crime stories are very popular overseas,” he said. “More importantly, my books are not just about crimes. They are also reflections of Chinese society and the Chinese legal system and procedures, which many overseas readers find very interesting.”

    He also said that many foreigners are interested in learning about China by reading Chinese novels so — in addition to the story itself — a book has to have “something special about China.”

    And language is also important. “Language creates a big barrier between many Chinese authors and the world. I can speak English, so it is much easier for me to communicate with overseas readers, editors, translators, the media and academic circles. And this has given me many opportunities,” he said.

    He is confident about the future of Chinese authors on the global market. “As China’s role grows internationally, more and more foreigners want to know more about China. When I studied in the United States in the early 1990s, many Americans were not interested in China at all, but things have changed. So I think more Chinese authors will be introduced to the overseas market in the future,” he said.

    “I think it is most important to consider how an author is being introduced to overseas readers at the beginning. Once the world knows and likes you and your work, it then becomes easier for you to introduce your other works.”

    — He Jiahong