Spanning six decades, The Years In My Hair introduces English-language readers to a major Chinese-language woman poet whose writing draws on classical Chinese poetry and folklore, Buddhist and Taoist philosophies, and is remarkable for a profound attentiveness to nature, memory, and womanhood.
Join us for a special evening with translator Christina Ng as she shares readings in both Chinese and English. The reading will be followed by a Q&A session, where she will explore the concept of translation as an act of listening across languages, generations, and literary traditions.
Christina will unpack the translation, revealing how she navigated the dense cultural allusions within the Chinese text. She’ll address specific symbols, such as the dragon or plum blossom, highlighting their specific significance in the original context and demonstrating how she adapted them to create equally impactful translations in English.
An essential event for anyone who loves words, language, and poetry.
Christina will also be running a workshop during her visit to Norwich City of Literature. Find out more here.
In partnership with the Poetry Translation Centre and BCLT. Supported by the National Arts Council Singapore.
Christina Ng
Christina Ng is a Singaporean writer and translator based in Berlin. Her Chinese-to-English literary translations include Liang Wern Fook’s short story collection The Joy of a Left Hand, shortlisted for the Singapore Literature Prize 2024 Translation Category. Her own writing explores identity, cultural and generational traumas. She leads literary translation and creative writing workshops and teaches literary translation at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.
Plan your visit
National Centre for Writing is located in the heart of Norwich city centre by the river, and is easily accessible by foot and by public transport. Plan your visit with our guide to the local area, including transport and nearby attractions, as well as full details on accessibility on site.
Accessibility
We want to ensure that Dragon Hall is open and accessible for all. It is largely wheelchair accessible and is equipped with two raising platform lifts, disabled access toilets, hearing loop facilities and some dimmable lighting. Click below for details on parking, access into the building, a breakdown of terrain, facilities, and more.
Box office & shop
Our box office and shop is located within the entrance space of Dragon Hall. Visit us between 10am–3pm on Sundays & Mondays. Payment by card only. Outside of these hours, book online via the website or call us at 01603 877177.
Explore more events in Norwich City of Literature
The Poem as an Instrument: Poetry Translation with Christina Ng
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Tuesday 24 November
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