View Poll Results: Would you read a different English translation of "Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain"?

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Thread: Jin Yong's Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain (Xue Shan Fei Hu)

  1. #1
    Senior Member HuangYushi's Avatar
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    Default Jin Yong's Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain (Xue Shan Fei Hu)

    Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain (Xue Shan Fei Hu) was first translated into English by Olivia Mok, with its second imprint published in 1996 (ISBN: 9622017339). Available on Amazon.com, reviews of Mok's work have been diverse.

    While I do not wish to re-invent the wheel, I do feel that there may be wuxia enthusiasts and other readers who may wish to view a different version of the translation. Thus, I have made a sampler of Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain, consisting of about 1/8th of the text of Chapter 1. This sampler is available at: wuxiapedia.com.

    I would appreciate it if you, the wuxia enthusiast and reader, could participate in the poll above and elaborate on your choice in this thread. All feedback and suggestions are welcome!

    Many thanks in advance,
    HYS/Yushi Huang

    PS: For the uninitiated, Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain focuses on the events surrounding the demise of the Eastern Liao pugilist, Hu Yidao, and his wife, as well as the acts of his grown-up son, Hu Fei, in exacting revenge.
    Jin Yong's Ode to Gallantry [侠客行].
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  2. #2
    Senior Member Han Solo's Avatar
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    I'm not too fussed about reading Flying Fox at the moment. The story itself is alright, but certainly not among JY's greatest works.

    Mok's translation was not really good from what i heard, unfortunately that is the same with the other JY novel that had been translated DOMD.

    I would much prefer to read and finish the rest of JY's books first.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Sugar's Avatar
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    I happen to like this story. I really think it is underrated. I read the translated verison from Mok recently. it was alirght.. but the translated named was so.... ermm... queer./ I mean, Hu Yi dao was called Gully, Mu ren Feng was called GIlted Buddha phoenix..

    I dont' know if hardcore fans like it, but I thought the translated name was awkard.

    I really want to read the young flying fox
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  4. #4
    Member chowbeng's Avatar
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    The version translated by Mok is more for western readers thus some minor charms and subtle meanings are lost.

    I never finished reading the original version myself so it's would be nice to read it in English.

  5. #5
    Senior Member fastclock's Avatar
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    I've read Mok's translation.
    They are acceptable.

    The issues are the use of the western names vs. chinese names (same as DOMD translation) and the use of high English in the translation maybe to get exactness of translation (e.g. I didn't understand 'myrmidon' until I saw it in a dictionary. Why not just use 'general'? Or 'Flying Fox' instead of 'Fox Volant').

    While other JY's novels are not translated into English yet, I would prefer reading them first in English rather than another copy of the Flying Fox. The Young Flying Fox certainly comes to mind.

  6. #6
    Member UltraRob's Avatar
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    I'd have to agree with the people who say "why?"

    While it's not a bad story, Flying Fox is hardly Jin Yong's best work, and there's so many other good things out there that need translations. (Why not continue the translation of Heaven Sword, Dragon Sabre, for example?) Karin Mok did a "dictionary" translation on that one: using a lot of words she didn't understand - "myrmidon" being my favorite- that she got from some British dictionary when she looked them up. Same mistake my students here in Taipei make all the time.

    Also, the other strike against it, for me personally, is that I hated the ending.

    Flying Fox seemed more like Jin Yong trying to do Gu Long, and while he was good, nobody does Gu Long better than the master himself.

    Rob

  7. #7
    Senior Member Sugar's Avatar
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    I think it is underrated. What was so "bad" about FLying Fox?

    btw, in the original novel, Wu Fei didn't meet his love of his life till like the last chapter right? ( the daughter of the person who "killed" his father?"
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  8. #8
    Member UltraRob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sugar
    I think it is underrated. What was so "bad" about FLying Fox?

    btw, in the original novel, Wu Fei didn't meet his love of his life till like the last chapter right? ( the daughter of the person who "killed" his father?"
    You know, you might want to have put a spoiler warning on that one....

    That said, it's not a "bad" book, I would never claim for a second it was....Well, okay, maybe when I sat there swearing for an hour at Jin Yong after I got to the end I would have ...But, except for the ending it's a fairly good, if somewhat simple, book.

    Rob

  9. #9
    Senior Member Sugar's Avatar
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    woops.. oh wells, this book is not that popular, maybe not alot will read this thread


    yeah, the ending was kind of a cliffhanger... but what do u think WOULD happend? who would win?
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  10. #10
    Member UltraRob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sugar
    woops.. oh wells, this book is not that popular, maybe not alot will read this thread


    yeah, the ending was kind of a cliffhanger... but what do u think WOULD happend? who would win?
    Odd, this thread has has 288 views, but only 8 votes!

    As for who should have won, well....



















    SPOILER SPACE!!!







































































    I think the implication was that both died, both men had many sins to atone for and neither of them deserved to live. If I'd had my way, Flying Fox would have won because he was the "lesser evil", and in many ways deserved happiness after all of this tragedy. The cycle of death could have been broken if he had lived and been with his love to start a new life to make up for the tradgedy of what happened with his parents.

    Rob

  11. #11
    Senior Member Sugar's Avatar
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    really???? what sins? They killed mostly bad guys. Wu Fei killed was righteous while the other dude was righteous as well right?

    I thought both was a draw, and the family feuds would end at the instant
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  12. #12
    Senior Member HuangYushi's Avatar
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    To all those who have taken the time and effort to respond to this poll, thank you! Your comments and suggestions have been helpful, not only to me, but also to Encaitar who is translating Young Flying Fox in another thread. As you can see, his thread has popped back up on to the first page.

    The poll is still open ... so I hope to get more responses. Please do keep them coming!

    It might be good to move discussions on the content of the story to the Wuxia Fiction forum, where I'm sure things would be livelier.

    Finally, special thanks to Han Solo for kick-starting the poll with his vote and comment!

    HYS
    Last edited by HuangYushi; 11-10-05 at 07:48 AM. Reason: Unforgivable typo
    Jin Yong's Ode to Gallantry [侠客行].
    Quote Originally Posted by atlantean0208
    what about SPT, I need my SPT fix ASAP, pretty pleaseeeee...
    Soon ... SOON!

  13. #13
    Senior Member Du Gu seeking a win's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Han Solo
    I'm not too fussed about reading Flying Fox at the moment. The story itself is alright, but certainly not among JY's greatest works.

    *
    According to people who has read both books, it's important that Xue Shan Fei Hu should be read first (before FHWZ - the other tale of Flying Fox). Reading FHWZ first would spoil things.

  14. #14
    Senior Member fastclock's Avatar
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    Ultra Robb, have you really read the book?
    I would really question your conclusion.

    ******** SPOILER WARNING *********

    About the ending:
    The end of it clearly says there are only two possible outcome: one where Hu Fei takes advantage of the hitch, and one where he doesn't. So, it's almost impossible for both of them to die together.

    There is at least one counterfeit Jin Yong "Black Fox" which takes the path of "doesn't take the advantage of the hitch" and 'all is well' ending.

    *********************************

  15. #15
    Senior Member HuangYushi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Du Gu seeking a win
    ...it's important that Xue Shan Fei Hu should be read first (before FHWZ - the other tale of Flying Fox). Reading FHWZ first would spoil things.
    Yeah, true. FHWZ (Young/Other Fox) becomes a lot more enjoyable as a story when one has the background information that is found in XSFH (Flying Fox). That's also part of the reason why I'm considering a new translation, despite the availability of the official one.
    Jin Yong's Ode to Gallantry [侠客行].
    Quote Originally Posted by atlantean0208
    what about SPT, I need my SPT fix ASAP, pretty pleaseeeee...
    Soon ... SOON!

  16. #16
    Senior Member fastclock's Avatar
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    Separately,

    ********* SPOILER WARNING ***********

    If you read the XSFH first, when you read Young Flying Fox - you'd know that Hu Fei would end up with noone. So that will spoil some things too.

    ************************************

    Both are meant to be able to be read separately on its own.

    XSFH certainly is a very deceptive book, meant to confuse the readers, who are really good in the story and who are bad - and maybe... if you had read Young Flying Fox first - you'd be able to guess quicker.

    As of now, I'd probably read Young Flying Fox first, and then use XSFH as sort of the epilogue. I don't remember which order I read it first, but in the end I don't think it really matters.

  17. #17
    Senior Member fastclock's Avatar
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    TO HYS

    Pls continue translating if that's what you really want to do.
    The relative non-existence of JY/GL/LYS/other's translations in English is so pathetic that any effort to improve the situation should be applauded.

  18. #18
    Senior Member HuangYushi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fastclock
    TO HYS
    Pls continue translating if that's what you really want to do.
    The relative non-existence of JY/GL/LYS/other's translations in English is so pathetic that any effort to improve the situation should be applauded.
    Thanks! The final decision has not been made yet, as the polls (and other options) are still open.
    Jin Yong's Ode to Gallantry [侠客行].
    Quote Originally Posted by atlantean0208
    what about SPT, I need my SPT fix ASAP, pretty pleaseeeee...
    Soon ... SOON!

  19. #19
    Senior Member Sugar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fastclock
    Separately,

    ********* SPOILER WARNING ***********

    If you read the XSFH first, when you read Young Flying Fox - you'd know that Hu Fei would end up with noone. So that will spoil some things too.

    ************************************

    Both are meant to be able to be read separately on its own.

    XSFH certainly is a very deceptive book, meant to confuse the readers, who are really good in the story and who are bad - and maybe... if you had read Young Flying Fox first - you'd be able to guess quicker.

    As of now, I'd probably read Young Flying Fox first, and then use XSFH as sort of the epilogue. I don't remember which order I read it first, but in the end I don't think it really matters.
    Oh ! Can u tell me a few things?
    I watched the series and read the Flying Volant, not the young flying soo..

    1) Why does Hu Fei end up with no one?
    2) he never love Cheng Leng To ( the poison girl?)
    3) In the series, there was a scene where hu fei was talking to Mui Ren Feng's ex wife, and he was surrounded by Tian Gui Nong ( the guy who took the wife away from mui Ren Feng) , there was this spot where the wife told Hu fei that there was a sword buried near his parents's grave. I know that a long time ago that the sword belonged to her father and she gave it to Mui Ren Feng.. but MRF buried the sword near Hu Yi Dao's grave. I was just wondering what was that sword.. and was there a significance? The series barely touched upon it.... so i was just wondering, thanks.
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  20. #20
    Member UltraRob's Avatar
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    Now, I may be separated from my copy of the book by time and space, and I confess to not remembering all details in exact clarity, but I do remember that Flying Fox was a character more than a little obsessed with avenging his father's death (okay, admittedly who isn't? ) and didn't seem like a particularily nice guy to me at the time. In comparison with the rest of the book's cast, he was pretty much an angel, but that doesn't mean he was innocent either.

    Also...

    ******Spoiler Space******

    When we last saw Fox and his opponent they were battling it out to the death on an icy ledge which also happened to be sliding down into a crevase at the time. Yes, Fox could decide the victor at the point where the story ended, however there was the small matter of gravity and a whole lotta ice coming down on top of him. Both were wounded, and the impression I had was they were pretty much screwed either way. I envisioned it pretty much as how the final fight between Anakin and Obi-Wan in RoTS should have been...Just with more ice and less fire.

    Feel free to correct me on this.

    Rob

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