NIRVANA IN FIRE – English Translations

A non-exhaustive list of online materials that have aided my comprehension and enjoyment of Cdrama NIF — and also GUARDIAN.

See below. 😉

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    Part 1 of 2

    Translation resources for Nirvana in Fire, by Hai Yan

    1. Levvy’s A Purple Blob blog:
    https://apurpleblob.wordpress.com/

    The first 26 chapters translated into English.

    Levvy also supplies detailed information on the numerous versions of NIF that have been published, along with dramatis personae and a brief synopsis.

    – – – – –

    2. Lang Ya Scribe, A Nirvana in Fire (Lang Ya Bang) English Translation Project
    by medical intern star-shadows.
    https://langyascribe.wordpress.com/chapter-index/

    Commences with Chapter 27.
    As of 07/21/19, 109 out of 174 chapters are translated.

    star-shadows picked up the baton after Levvy apparently ceased after translating the first 26 chapters on A Purple Blob – translating Nirvana in Fire.

    Lang Ya Scribe includes a terrific glossary / dramatis personae with cross references, and exquisitely-detailed relationship and genealogical information. Copious translator’s notes, too. Speaking as a trained translator myself, star-shadows is doing a superior job with the explanatory background information. Truly first-rate.

    I keep the glossary open in one tab for ready reference while reading the novel in another tab.

    – Continued –

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    Part 2 of 2

    Link to PDF file of translation, chapters 1-76
    https://langyascribe.wordpress.com/2017/12/18/lang-ya-bang-ch-1-76-pdf/

    Direct link to above:
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1TB6wUyoY6DF6Q24n4BFAOYCk5CH8MLZc

    Bonus: star-shadows’s translation of lyrics to “Go Now and Love” by Hu Ge
    https://langyascribe.wordpress.com/2018/08/30/go-love-then-by-hu-ge/

    @trinpie’s recommended guide to NIRVANA IN FIRE:
    http://www.dramabeans.com/2018/09/open-thread-569/#comment-3305333

    Chapter 50 Translator’s Notes – refers to chaikat’s comments on differences between NIF drama and novel (below).
    https://langyascribe.wordpress.com/2017/09/04/chapter-50-dilemma/

    https://chaikat.tumblr.com/post/144655106146/nirvana-in-fire-drama-vs-novel
    https://chaikat.tumblr.com/post/149171833831/what-to-do-when-you-need-some-happy-niflyb

    This thread deals with both NIF and GUARDIAN (novels as well as dramas). In fact, it’s where @newso tipped me off to star-shadows’s translation, which I immediately commenced reading and finished through chapter 106 in 15 days. After a week’s break, I watched NIF in its entirety in another week. (@giegie0384 is another fan of both works.)
    http://www.dramabeans.com/2019/02/team-dramabeans-what-were-watching-143/#comment-3409331

    NIRVANA IN FIRE “SqueeCaps: very emotionally invested recaps” on blog The Problematic of the Unproblematic, started by unnis who originally met on DB. 😉
    http://dr-myri-blog.blogspot.com/search/label/Nirvana%20in%20Fire?updated-max=2015-12-12T10:04:00%2B01:00&max-results=20&start=40&by-date=false

    -30-

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    bookmarking this for later , thank you 😀 !!!

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    I won’t lie, I’ve been intimidated to get into NIF because I’m afraid I won’t understand the history. Thanks for these links and your exhaustive research!

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      @ally-le,

      You’re so welcome. I know the feeling only too well. That sense of impending doom by Cast Of Thousandsitis. 😉

      I was also intimidated by Chinese language and culture, as most of my Asian drama watching has been Kdramas. Luckily, the Sino-Korean flavor of sageuks I’ve watched had me uttering “Aha” on more than one occasion as I recognized cultural tidbits that traced back to China, such as the role, conduct, and dress of the Emperor’s eunuch, and the titles of the royal concubines. Do keep in mind that the drama is basically a fantasy. The action is set in the 400s, but the culture, clothing, and customs date from various later time periods. I found it all very harmoniously integrated and depicted, but a native purist might well notice the melange of material culture items. For me, ignorance was bliss — and utterly beautiful.

      I made the decision to read the novel first (as much of it as was translated into English) so that I could keep track of the characters — as well as follow the intricacies of the plot. I’m really glad I did. To heck with spoilers. I wanted to comprehend what I was watching.

      That said, be aware that there are differences between the novel and the drama — which are mentioned in both translators’ notes, and also in the readers’ comments, which I also read religiously. Plus, the details and content of the various releases/editions of the story vary, which sounds downright strange to me. In such a case, who knows what “canonical” really is? In any event, it strikes me as a throwback to the days of anonymous bards and troubadours embellishing and tweaking a well-loved folk tale over generations.

      As with Korean, there are terms of address akin to “oppa” and “noona” (gege and jiejie) that indicate gender and relative ages of speaker and addressee. The protagonist himself has at least three names and aliases, plus various monikers and social and job titles. That’s not even counting his kinship ties, betrothal, or numerous relationships with friends, employees, brothers-in-arms, enemies — and the captivating Fei Liu, who is in a class all his own.

      It occurs to me that NIRVANA IN FIRE’s themes of honor and brotherhood are echoed by the loyal soldiers of the Donghak Army in NOKDU FLOWER. Both dramas have immense heart. Both are meticulously scripted and executed, and depict long-term processes of redemption ultimately motivated by love.

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    Thanks! Can’t wait to read it!

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      @vespertyne,
      You’re welcome! Thanks for asking. Now other Beanies teetering on the brink of watching NIF might get that extra nudge that reading the novel in English might provide. 😉

      Just in case you didn’t see it, I’ve included a few additional notes on NIF in my reply to @ally-le Ally above. Enjoy! 😉

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