Singing Grass is a business consultancy advising on access and development strategies for the Chinese market. We develop bespoke programmes for clients in the arts, lifestyle, cultural and luxury retail sectors to connect them to their markets.
The winning translation from the inaugural Voices of Today Literary Translation Prize is now available to read on Paper Republic. Launched by Singing Grass in partnership with Paper Republic, the prize invited translators from around the world to translate an extract from Liu Zhenyun’s latest novel. More than 100 entries were received from 14 countries, highlighting growing international interest in contemporary Chinese literature.
When Chinese bestselling novelist Liu Zhenyun shared the stage with billionaire tech entrepreneur, Xiaomi founder Lei Jun at BIBF 2026, it symbolised something much bigger than a keynote conversation. Across the fair, publishing, AI, digital storytelling and cultural IP increasingly appeared as one connected ecosystem. Here are our key observations from Beijing.
The inaugural Voices of Today Literary Translation Prize has announced its winner and joint runners-up at the Beijing International Book Fair. Created by Singing Grass and Paper Republic, the prize attracted more than 100 submissions from 14 countries and celebrates a new generation of Chinese-English literary translators.
As the Beijing International Book Fair celebrates its 40th anniversary, BIBF 2026 signals a major strategic evolution — positioning itself not only as Asia’s largest publishing fair, but as a growing global hub for AI-powered publishing, cross-media IP licensing and international cultural exchange.
The inaugural Voices of Today Literary Translation Prize has announced its international shortlist following more than 100 entries from 14 countries. Created by Singing Grass and Paper Republic, the initiative aims to support a new generation of Chinese-English literary translators and strengthen cross-cultural literary exchange.
We are pleased to share a message from Liu Zhenyun to translators around the world who took part in this year’s Voices of Today Literary Translation Prize.
Reflecting on the emotional connections beneath language, his words offer a powerful reminder of what translation carries across cultures.
We are entering the “emotional economy,” where consumption is driven less by status and more by connection, reassurance and shared experience.
In this piece, Alicia Liu and Shilpa Saul explore how shifting consumer behaviour is reshaping global brands, cultural trends and the way ideas travel across markets.
From social media “Instapoetry” to 180,000-copy translation successes in China, poetry is re-emerging in unexpected forms. Drawing on insights from BolognaBookPlus, Alicia Liu explores how poetry is evolving across markets, from Instapoetry and social platforms to global translation success stories, and what this means for publishers navigating an age of emotional and cultural flux.
At the 2026 London Book Fair, Singing Grass celebrated a historic milestone: the induction of Chinese master Mai Jia into the Penguin Modern Classics collection. Discover why his work is redefining the global crime genre.
Singing Grass and Paper Republic have joined forces to find the next generation of literary translators of contemporary voices
