The Hindi edition of the contemporary Chinese novel 'Wild Fox Ridge' by author Xuemo was launched at the New Delhi Book Fair, representing a notable development in literary translation and cultural exchange between China and India. The translation was completed by award-winning translator Anand Swaroop Verma and published by New Delhi–based Prakashan Sansthan, a press with a longstanding commitment to bringing world literature to Indian readers.
The launch event featured scholars, translators, and literary figures, including B.R. Deepak, a sinologist and director of the Center for Chinese and Southeast Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, and scholar Ravindra Tripathi. Tripathi described Xuemo as a writer with international acclaim, emphasizing the intellectual depth and narrative breadth of his work. During the event, selected passages from the Hindi edition were read, followed by discussions on the novel's literary themes and cultural context.
Rahul Sharma, director of Prakashan Sansthan, noted the distinctive and unpredictable nature of Xuemo's writing among Chinese novels. Sharma highlighted the author's sketch-like portrayal of everyday life in rural China combined with a reflective narrative approach, which offers readers a refreshing experience. This publication adds to several of Xuemo's works already available in Hindi, including 'Selected Stories by Xuemo', 'The World Is a Reflection of the Mind', 'Wild Fox Ridge', and 'Desert Rites'. These books continue to attract attention from both academic circles and general readers in India.
Academic interest in Xuemo's work is growing, with students and faculty at the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University increasingly engaging with his texts for literary research and cross-cultural studies. Beyond the Hindi edition, 'Wild Fox Ridge' has gained international recognition through its English-language version. In 2025, the novel received several honors, including the International Impact Book Awards, the NYC Big Book Award, and the International Book Awards, standing out among tens of thousands of global entries.
International media commentary identifies 'Wild Fox Ridge' as representing a major stylistic shift in Xuemo's literary career. Unlike his earlier realist works, such as the Desert Trilogy, this novel blends historical narration with mystical and symbolic elements. The story is set within a ritual of 'summoning the souls' and recounts the mysterious disappearance of two camel caravans in western China over a century ago. Through 28 spectral monologues, it revisits the inner lives, beliefs, and moral dilemmas of camel drivers struggling to survive in the harsh desert environment, with critics describing it as a poetic reimagining of the mythology in China's western region.
For business and technology leaders, this development underscores the expanding market for translated literature and the role of digital platforms in facilitating global cultural exchange. The success of 'Wild Fox Ridge' in multiple languages and its award recognition highlight the commercial and cultural potential of cross-border literary projects. The growing academic engagement in India suggests emerging opportunities for educational partnerships and content licensing. The event also demonstrated the ongoing importance of physical book fairs alongside digital distribution, as visitors browsed the new release, interacted with featured guests, and commemorated the launch. Further information about Xuemo and his works can be found at https://www.xuemo.com and https://shop.xuemo.com.
