Condor Heroes: Culture in Popular Fiction

A literary deep dive into Jin Yong, hybridity, and the soul of storytelling Why does Condor Heroes still resonate across languages, generations, and borders? In this series, Shelly Bryant — literary translator and contributor to The Bloomsbury Handbook of Modern Chinese Literature in Translation — explores the cultural legacy of Jin Yong’s beloved wuxia saga. Beginning with the claim that Condor Heroes might be “untranslatable,” the program tackles questions at the heart of global literature: What makes a translation “work”? Who gets to define cultural authenticity? Can hybrid identities be a source of mastery, not confusion? From debates over Chineseness to the artistry of Guo Jing’s contradictory selfhood, these videos invite you to think beyond nostalgia and nationalism — and into the liminal spaces where literature changes lives. You’ll also hear personal reflections on translation, identity politics, and how one story connected readers across language barriers — including Shelly’s own nephew and a host’s daughter rediscovering Condor Heroes in English. This is not just a discussion of a book. It’s a call to embrace complexity — and celebrate the power of stories that cross borders.