The “Xuemo Model”: Scholars Discuss How Chinese Literature Can Move Beyond Publication Abroad | “Xuemo in Dialogue with International Scholars” (Episode 8)

The “Xuemo Model”: Scholars Discuss How Chinese Literature Can Move Beyond Publication Abroad | “Xuemo in Dialogue with International Scholars” (Episode 8)

On May 10, 2026 (Beijing time), the World Literature Union and the Xuemo Foundation held another online session of “Xuemo in Dialogue with International Scholars.” Under the theme “Xuemo Goes Global: Regional Writing and International Circulation,” scholars, writers, and translators from China, Italy, Norway, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries discussed Xuemo’s work and its international reception.

The Event: A Discussion from Several Perspectives

Yanjin Chen, author of The Xuemo Code, moderated the event. Dr. Pingyan Li, a lecturer in the School of Foreign Languages at Lanzhou University of Technology, delivered the keynote address, “Xuemo Goes Global: Regional Writing and International Circulation.”

Xuemo took part in the discussion throughout the event and answered questions from international scholars. Other participants included Riccardo Moratto, Distinguished Professor at Tongji University; Professor Shouhui Zhao of the University of Bergen; Professor Helen Wu of the University of Toronto; Professor Rui Su of Northwest University; Professor Jianxin Yang of Hexi University; Dr. Ronald Torrance of the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology; Lingxiao Wu, a doctoral candidate at Peking University’s Institute of World Literature; and Songjian Xu, a doctoral candidate at Shanghai International Studies University.

Defining the “Xuemo Model”

In her keynote address, Li reviewed the translation and publication of Xuemo’s books abroad, the stages through which they have reached international readers, and the principal areas in which they have been studied.

Xuemo’s work, she said, has been translated into nearly 30 languages, including English, German, French, Japanese, and Spanish, with nearly 60 foreign-language editions published to date.

Her research team divided the international circulation of Xuemo’s work into four stages: being discovered, entering the English-language world, expanding into multiple languages, and reaching readers abroad. The fourth stage marks the move from simply “going out” to genuinely “going in.”

From this history, Li identified a four-part approach to the translation and international circulation of Chinese literature, which she called the “Xuemo Model”:

The distinctive cultural outlook and regional writing of western China give the books a reason to be read abroad.

Accomplished translators such as Howard Goldblatt help maintain the literary quality of the translated editions.

The writer’s continuing participation in events abroad raises the international profile of both the author and the work.

A professional publishing, marketing, and distribution network provides the books with a stable route into international markets.

Writing at Home and Publishing Abroad

During the discussion, Xuemo spoke about the principles that had guided his writing and the lessons he had learned while introducing his books to readers outside China.

Remaining Rooted in China

Xuemo said that anyone seeking to communicate Chinese culture abroad must remain connected to the country and its traditions. He has chosen to stay in China and has never considered emigrating. That commitment, he said, has been the starting point of his work.

Avoiding a Single Label

When his books are presented abroad, Xuemo avoids defining them by a particular religion or ideology. Whatever ideas they may contain, he wants them to meet international readers first as works of literature.

Keeping Pace with the Present

Xuemo also stressed the need to understand developments such as the internet and artificial intelligence. Writers, he said, should remain aware of how technology is changing the production, circulation, and reading of literature.

Growing with Readers

Xuemo placed particular importance on his readers. Through daily reading sessions and the training of discussion leaders, he has developed an active community whose members read and discuss his books together.

He said that this voluntary network has supported the circulation of his work both within China and abroad. Its strength comes from personal commitment as well as its ability to support the practical work of publishing and promotion.

Using Technology Without Depending on It

Xuemo uses AI to gather information, evaluate manuscripts, and study markets, but he opposes relying on it to write literary works. Such dependence, he said, could weaken a writer’s originality.

Writers should adopt a critical but open attitude toward AI, making use of the technology while preserving the independence of their inner lives.

Translation: Difficulties, Methods, and Future Work

Xuemo said that regional vocabulary is not the greatest obstacle to translating his work. The more difficult task is conveying the Eastern wisdom and philosophy of xin-xing (心性), the cultivation of the heart-mind and human nature, found throughout his books. Translators unfamiliar with these traditions may understand the language without fully grasping the ideas beneath it.

His team has therefore encouraged collaboration between Chinese and international translators and has sought people who combine linguistic skill with knowledge of philosophy. Xuemo praised the work of Howard Goldblatt in English, Liliana in Spanish, Han Bin in English, and other translators. He said that he trusted their judgment and allowed them considerable freedom to recreate his work in another language.

Xuemo also offered to provide scholars studying his work with the latest and most complete editions available in different languages. He said he would support the publication of academic books about his writing and proposed holding regular forums or scholarly meetings in western China to encourage closer contact among writers, translators, and researchers.

His team has also been building international sales channels through Amazon and independent websites, organizing multilingual broadcasts, and working with media organizations abroad. These efforts have created a network for selling and promoting his work that extends beyond the reach of conventional publishing houses.

Regional Writing and International Readers

During the scholars’ discussion, Dr. Ronald Torrance asked how literature with a strong regional identity could speak to readers in other countries.

Xuemo replied that the local setting is the medium rather than the final subject. His books, he said, are concerned with the human heart and spirit. Their appeal abroad depends on the emotions and experiences shared by people across cultures, not on the familiarity of their settings.

Professor Jianxin Yang asked about the unusual publication history of Into the Desert. Howard Goldblatt and his colleagues proposed, selected, and translated the material for the English edition before a revised Chinese edition was published.

The book was therefore not a direct translation of an existing Chinese volume. It was a new selection shaped by the translators’ reading of Xuemo’s fiction and received a warm response abroad. Xuemo said that, out of respect for the translators’ work, he granted them full rights to that edition. He regarded the arrangement as an example of the trust that can exist between an author and a translator.

From “Going Out” to “Going In”

In his closing remarks, Xuemo said that conversations with international scholars had helped bring different intellectual traditions into contact. He hoped to establish a more regular network through which scholars, writers, and translators could work together to bring Chinese literature and culture into closer conversation with the rest of the world.

Chen announced that “Xuemo in Dialogue with International Scholars” would continue every Sunday at 8 p.m. Beijing time.

The meeting examined not only how one contemporary Chinese writer had found readers abroad but also what international circulation requires. Publishing a book in another country is only the beginning. For Chinese literature to “go in,” it must be carefully translated, thoughtfully published, discussed by scholars, and accepted into the reading lives of people from other cultures.