The art of being a cultural translator

Art historian Yang Fan works at the Auckland Art Gallery, communicating with Chinese artists and translating their projects for New Zealand audiences.

He describes himself as a 'cultural translator' - introducing the intangible, emotional and philosophical side of Chinese culture.

"Chinese philosophy and Chinese ideology should be for everyday Kiwis," Yang tells Perlina Lau.

Related stories:

Originally from China's east coast province Jiangsu, Yang Fan moved to Aotearoa in 2001 and studied art and art history at AUT University, and he also has a Masters in Translation Studies.

Yang doesn't believe that the general understanding of Chinese culture has evolved enough since the late 19th century. The images used - such as noodles, lanterns or the Chinese zodiac - are still too simplistic.

"[Chinese culture] is not something that should be confined to the academic field for sinologists and to write articles for journals."

"I feel like I have a responsibility to introduce a different perspective on Chinese culture. For example, the philosophies or ideologies, or poems or lyrics from the Tang dynasty.

"Those are the things that shape how we do things, how we communicate and the collective character of Chinese people."

On both a syntax and a lexicon level, the phrasing and structure of the Chinese language are completely different to English.

Yang describes the translation process as quickly demolishing Lego bricks to rebuild a new piece. It's the same bricks but it looks different.

In a spoken interview, "time is not your friend", laughs Yang.

Being bilingual isn't enough, and language is just the surface. It requires an understanding of context and cultural norms.

"Speaking both languages is different from conveying the emotions and the meaning of one language to the other," says Yang.

The use of metaphors and similes are common across both languages and it's about being able to identify quickly which phrases would be equivalent or evoke the same feeling and response.

As an arts and culture translator, Yang is often translating for creators whose ideas are abstract and conceptual.

While listening, Yang says he splits his brain into two parts. One side listens to what's being said, while the other starts to transform and rebuild the information.

"A lot of the time, I'm not focusing on the linguistics of the message. I'm focusing on the narrative, the context and the emotions that are hidden in the message.

"You need to be able to identify the bigger picture."

Yang believes art and culture can reach the deepest parts of people, and while working at the gallery, he was able to meet people from all over the world. It was there that he developed the desire to communicate with people on a deeper level.

To ensure his translations and understandings remain up to date and relevant, he says it requires staying tuned into news, social media and pop culture. Yang endeavours to keep across contemporary culture and the language and colloquialisms used by youth in China.

Having lived now in New Zealand for longer than he lived in China, Yang says he feels he's in a surreal space. He considers himself "100 percent Kiwi and living a Kiwi lifestyle" but remains a strong advocate for Chinese tradition.

Yang continues to write articles for various Chinese websites about Chinese art history, paintings and traditional culture.

"I'm proof that you can have both cultures. It's an age-old debate whether you have to sacrifice a portion of your original culture to assimilate into mainstream society.

"Nothing needs to be sacrificed. You can enjoy a full Kiwi lifestyle but at the same time, be fully immersed in Chinese culture."

Perlina Lau first met Yang when he acted as translator for an interview with Chinese haute couture designer Guo Pei.