Australian Children’s Literature in China -- Translation, Publication and Reception

With the world becoming increasingly more globalised, the sizable middle-class Chinese families are looking towards Anglophone cultures for alternative sources of knowledge to educate their children. In this context, Australian children’s literature has performed particularly well in the Chinese reading market. The popularity of Australian children’s literature in China may be attributed to two factors: 1) the excellence of the literary works created by Australian authors and publishers; and 2) the translation and publication of these works in Chinese by Chinese translators and publishers. While the former was often discussed in the academia, due in part to the many literary awards won by Australian authors, the latter remained under-researched. For example, which authors and titles have been selected for introduction into the Chinese market? What publishing mechanism was in place for translated Australian titles to be approved for publication in the Chinese context? What are the agents that are particularly instrumental in this process? What are the challenges facing Australian publishers and Chinese publishers in the exchange between two very different systems of publication? Who are the translators, how are they selected, and what are the factors influencing their translation strategies? What about reception: Which genres were favoured by Chinese readers and why? This paper will attempt to answer these questions on the basis of extensive data collection and in-depth analysis of texts, paratexts and sociocultural contexts, with a view to identifying the historical patterns, current trends and future directions of this important form of cultural exchange between Australia and China.