Dear Readers,
Just to let you know, there will be NO UPDATE of Unsung Friends this week as you would normally expect.
I’m not sure if you remember, but back in November I said I would think about whether I still belonged on this translation scene. I asked my readers to give me some time to think about it (actually, I said a few days at first, but then I realized I would need more than that). I know it’s been a few months, but I have not forgotten this. It truly has been weighing heavily upon my heart and mind. I will place my thoughts into a post and let you know shortly.
Regards,
-H
Fanatical 
March 2, 2021 at 7:53 am
Dear Hoju,
This is the first time I am commenting on a post since I have started visiting this blog. Your translations are the ones that introduced me to this whole community of Chinese novels (the first one I read was Shan Shan comes to eat) and I am forever thankful for your translations even though I’ve never commented that on any of your other posts.
I know there are probably a lot of people like me who have silently been following your journey in translations and are always thankful for your work!
No matter what you decide, I’m sure you’ll be doing great things! Thank you once again for all your hard work!
March 2, 2021 at 10:07 am
I too am grateful for all the work you have done. Thank you for the gifts of books I could otherwise not read.
March 2, 2021 at 12:32 pm
Dear. I ve been fans of your blog and you. Please do what ever you like but make sure you always stay healthy and happy. Love u
March 2, 2021 at 1:11 pm
Me too. I have been reading your translations for quite a number of years and while you might not know me, I have been following along quietly in the background. I do thank you for your work but you should take whatever time you need to be well in body and mind.
March 2, 2021 at 4:07 pm
Thank you for introducing me to MBFB’s novels. They are so beautifully written and your translation captured the nuance and the meaning behind the stories. Take your time and hopefully you’ll be happy and healthy always.
GBU.
March 2, 2021 at 6:05 pm
We know is been hard on you we love your translations I been a fan of your block for a while now you make me love MBF all your books a have read love your comments and explanations I read your translations every time I feel down and I read every book at least 5 or 6 times 🥰 we love you dear take care !!
March 2, 2021 at 6:18 pm
Dear Hoju, as many have mentioned, we sincerely appreciate you and your work and all the heart you put into it. I’ve read and followed many of your novels. I can’t even keep count how many or remember since how long ago. You’re definitely one of the best translators out there, and one major reason is because you show a lot of respect toward the novel and the original author’s work in which you are translating. Another, is that you really seem to enjoy introducing the novel, the background, the story to us. These are memories that I will cherish, from being introduced to Chinese novels, to discovering a wonderful Chinese author and faithful translator of primarily MBFB’s work. Thank you for all of your hard work, and all the research you do in your translation. No matter what you decide, us faithful followers will respect your decision. I hope you stay healthy and happy and be at peace with whatever decision you make.
March 3, 2021 at 1:00 am
Dear Hoju, thank you for all of your efforts to share wonderful stories with us. You are an excellent translator and your care for the stories and the author shine through. I have learned so much through the stories and research that you have shared with us. Whatever you decide moving forward, I will support you.
March 3, 2021 at 1:40 am
Thank youuu hoju for introducing me to such fine novels! Hope you are fine wherever you are! ❤
March 3, 2021 at 6:38 am
Dear Hoju, I am sad to think that doing translations have been so difficult for you. But know that we readers support you whatever you decide. Your translations are the gold standard in my opinion. God bless you.
March 3, 2021 at 8:19 am
Dear Hoju, Thank you for all the amazing translation work you have done so far. Really really appreciate all the doors you opened to fascinating worlds. Those will stay with me forever and make me grateful. Wishing you the best always!
March 3, 2021 at 11:19 am
Thanks to your hard work, I was able to enjoy MBFB novels. Each week I look forward to reading a new chapter. We know it has been hard on you, but whichever decision is made, your readers will always support you.
March 3, 2021 at 12:37 pm
Dear Hoju, I’m Chinese, and have already read many of the novels you’ve translated before I even found your site. However, there’s just something about your translations that makes me return, again and again, whenever I miss Gu Sheng and Mo Qingcheng, Yi Wenze and Jia He, Han Shangyan and Tong Nian… My first language is English after all, so I skim through your translations faster than the original whenever I’m short of time but need a MBFB novel to cheer me up. Your translations are amazing, especially for 一生一世 (my poor Chinese skills refuse to allow me to fully appreciate the novel until I read your translations, after which I fell so hard for that novel and the characters), and I love your translator’s notes at the end of each chapter. There were things I missed out on because I didn’t fully understand the phrases / slangs (I’m looking at you, Cantonese phrases) and thanks to your notes, I now can. I am eternally grateful for all that you’ve done for us, and wish you all the best. I don’t always keep up with your updates, but do know that you will always have a very special place in my heart and I’m sure many also feel the same way. With this being my first comment on this blog, I’m so sorry that it took me this long (and such an update) to express my love and gratitude towards you. Guess this is a lesson for me to remember to show my appreciation!
March 3, 2021 at 3:02 pm
Dear Hoju,
I have been reading your translations since 2017 when I discovered Silent Seperation. I love all the books that you’ve translated including all your side notes and comments. I always look forward to what you think of the chapter and also have always appreciated how much you try and help us understand the cultural references of the book from including pics of foods and places to even translating lyrics of songs and giving us links for the same. I highly appreciate every single word that you translate on here. You have worked really hard and it would be great if you could continue however if this is something that no longer helps you in anyway you should definitely move on. Thank you for all the hard work you’ve put in till now
March 3, 2021 at 5:19 pm
Hi Hoju, like what others have put nicely about your translation and the extent you do to provide background information that have enriched us to the extent that you have set a high bar for other translators to achieve, I can only say that you’re the first person who makes me love Chinese novels and waits for your translation week after week like a child waiting for a candy to brighten the day. You and your translation have impacted us in a way that you might have never expected. And I believe there are thousands more silent readers who can’t bear to part.
I’m a Chinese but I can’t read Chinese characters, so your translation is a jewel for me. I’ve been a silent reader for many years and I’m really sad to hear that you’re considering to stop this translation work. Is there any way that we can help you to continue the translation? I know there is an issue with people who steal your translation for money. I also know that you do this translation out of your passion, but maybe now you have to consider capitalizing your passion in a way that no one can steal your hard work. I don’t mind paying for your translation and I think the others, too. However, above all those, I will support whatever decision you make. Thank you so much for the long ride which opens doors for me to the unknown world!
March 5, 2021 at 6:41 am
I would also be happy to pay for the translations, they are worth it.
March 3, 2021 at 6:15 pm
While I have the chance, I want to say thank you. I really appreciate your efforts in both the translations of the great modern Chinese novels and in finding the illustrations and including your translator’s notes to help us readers understand and appreciate the stories more.
Finally, I want to say that I support you all the way no matter how you decide. You have already done us a great favour by bringing all these wonderful novels to our attention.
March 3, 2021 at 9:27 pm
Thank you for your hard work Hoju, hoping you’re doing fine and I’m sorry for whatever it is that making you sad, I really love your translations, you make us enjoying the read.
Stay safe and healthy
Hugs
March 3, 2021 at 10:30 pm
Dear hoju,
As many have written before me, I am also one who learned to appriciate the chinese noveld through your translations. And you are much more than „just“ a translator! You explain to us non-chinese people what certain phrases mean, how to understand certain situations. Your pictures and links give so much more, it enriches the whole „reading-a-story“ into an experience….
I for one would miss you (and your transaltions) very very much, as they brighten my days and enlarge my vision – which, due to many things, tend to get smaller and smaller. I se and understand more of the world because of your work.
Never think you are not important, and never think your work just disapears in the worldwideweb….
Whatever you decide – and there are times that a change is important – be sure of our love and appriciation for you and your work.
Take care, the world (especcially at the moment) is heavy….
Lavendel
March 4, 2021 at 6:36 am
I started visiting this site way back around the time you started to “guest post” for peanuts. I’m so glad that turned into a more permanent status. 🙂 Over the years as I got busier with family and life, I don’t have much free time anymore. The one vice I still allowed myself was to read this blog (obsessively refreshing the webpage around 4/4:30 every Tues/Fri). The consistent weekly updates were the perfectly sized nuggets of joy to pick me up after a long hard day. Year after year, as we journeyed through story after story together – this blog and its translators began to feel like dear longtime friends.
This website was truly a labor of love. It could be clearly seen in all of the extensive and detailed footnotes you’ve left (those poems in Beautiful Bones! the song translations in Really Really Miss You). It burns me to think about what happened. Why does the actions of a few have to ruin it for everyone? This is why we can’t have nice things! Sigh.
No matter what you decide, your readers will respect and support it. Thank you. All the hard work you put in all these years made a clear difference in the lives of your readers. If this is the end, you will be dearly missed.
March 4, 2021 at 2:06 pm
Dear Hoju, it’s been a while since I commented but I would like to thank you for introducing many of the great Chinese novels. Through these I have learnt not only about different kind of books but also the tradition or culture of China. I have read all the novels translated in this website and I really liked your thoughts after every chapter. I also read comments of others and your replies to them to understand in depth.. I really enjoyed your thinking process and how you understand it in a different way from my thought process.. I have also enjoyed leaving comments in the current novel while enjoying your replies. It was really great to have a conversation with you via comments. I thank you and will be happy for you on whatever you have decided to do further. And I would like to thank you for introducing a new culture and for your immense knowledge and effort taken for doing the translations.
March 4, 2021 at 6:21 pm
Hoju,
Thank you for introducing various works of MBFB to us.. It has been a joy to read your translation as I’m sure it has also been a joy for you to translate them.
March 4, 2021 at 8:50 pm
Dear Hoju,
This is my first time commenting. Please know your work has been tremendous so far.
I started by reading Together Forever and fell in love. To this day I am unable to judge whether it is MBFB’s writing or your translation that I love. I’ve read other translations, but they don’t have the right feel to it.
I love to wait until you finish a novel to start binge reading it.
I understand that even when you do something you love, it can get tough with other priorities. Home, work, kids, and now on top of everything the pandemic. They are all creating stress and other mental health issues
To top it all leaching one’s work also makes it very tiring. Those people should be ashamed of themselves.
Take care of yourself. I hope you can comeback when you feel better.
Thank you for all the beautiful work.
March 6, 2021 at 6:00 am
Hoju,
No matter what you decide, we will support you. Thank you for your translations over the years. They are much appreciated.
It is disappointing that you put so much love and effort into your translations as well as obtaining permission from the author and it gets stolen.
I hope that even if you don’t do any more translations that you will still be around. Your comments and notes on each of your translations are a joy to read and very well written and eloquent.
I agree with a lot of the previous commentators. Your work will be missed and you are one of the best translators out there. I have read many books over the years (book worm here) and I enjoy reading and re-reading the novels you have translated.
Thank you and keep healthy and safe!
March 6, 2021 at 3:19 pm
Dearest Hoju,
I am ever grateful for finding your website during a random search. Your translations opened a fascinating world of Chinese culture and fiction to me that has been irreplaceable. I continue to read your translation of “Beautiful Bones” over and over because I discover new nuances in your use of descriptive words and phrases. The characters come alive to me like close friends.
This was possible only because of your love and passion for the novels and authors. I have learned so much from your footnotes and references that enriched all your translations. If you decide to move on to a different path I can only wish you the best success and well-deserved peaceful life.
As a faithful reader I will truly miss you.
March 6, 2021 at 11:39 pm
Dear Hoju
From the bottom of my heart, thank u for all the wonderful and quality translations that you have done over the years. We can all tell that you’ve put more than 100% of effort; from getting permissions from the author to providing us detailed background to the fantastic novels. Us, your virtual and faithful readers are ever so grateful.
So sorry that people are stealing your hard work and there is no solution to this – it also adds up to unnecessary stress. Please know that whatever your decision is, we will always support you. Very best wishes to you + Virtual hugs 🤗
March 7, 2021 at 12:25 am
Reading your post today made me realize that YOU need to hear how grateful we your readers are. I would never have been introduced to Chinese novels without your hard work. This year has been difficult and we would all understand if you took a well-deserved break, with no shaming or blame. We all need time to recharge. Before you end translating, you need to ask yourself if it makes you happy. Is it a hobby or a career? The longer you live, the more jobs you will have, but if translating is something you do for joy, it is with you forever.
Wishing you good health, love, money and positive energy. May 2021 be a better year for all of us!
March 7, 2021 at 1:17 am
Dearest Hoju –
We will respect your decision, and I hope you find the peace and happiness you are looking for.
Your site is always my to go to whenever I needed a novel to escape, relax, or just to plainly enjoy a really good book.
Thank you for sharing your love for these novels, and wish you good health and happiness : )
Cheers friend.
March 7, 2021 at 11:54 am
I have never left a post before but really want to express my appreciation to you for your hard work. I found your translations about a year ago. Your translations are what has opened a whole new world to me. In comparisons other translations I found lacked feeling and clarity. Your translations allowed me to enjoy works I would never have had an opportunity to explore since I am English speaking/reading only. Your comments have always added a little something extra. Thank you for your hard work and for sharing of the novels. 2020 and 2021 to date have been challenging years for all of us…life changes, loss for many, seeking new directions and trying for a new normal. Hoping you and your family can enjoy good health, happiness and peace no matter what path you choose to travel down.
March 9, 2021 at 9:07 am
Dear Hoju,
Thank you for introducing chinese novels to people like me. As someone who works in translation for a living, I truly appreciate your hard work and talent. It takes immense talent and skill to not just translate but do so in a manner that recreates the atmosphere.
May 7, 2021 at 11:21 am
Dear Hoju, thanks for your translations, without your hard work I would not enjoy reading these beautiful stories. We really appreciate, and though most of the time we don’t comment, it’s mostly due to circumstances but your highly appreciated. Thank you.
June 6, 2021 at 8:22 pm
Hi Hoju,
While I’m greatly saddened to know you may not continue the great work you’ve been doing selflessly, like your other silent fans, shall support whatever decision you make.
May you and your family stay healthy and happy.
Note : Whoever that takes Hoju’s painstaking effort and profit from it, know that karma will catch up with you.
August 25, 2021 at 11:45 pm
Hi Hoju,
Wherever you are and whatever you do, I wish you all the best. I hope you can find something that you really makes you excited and passionate.
Thank you so much for your gift, as you know it has brought me to a new world, opening a new perceptive, a place where I can rest and one of the thing that keep me excited.
I hope you will be blessed with smile and happiness as much as you have brought those feeling and blessing into my life.
You are has done really well and thanks a lot enduring all this time for me as one of your reader.
May God bless you in whatever you do and you find joy in it.