Our journey continues across the globe; this time, literary works are the passport to discovering and learning more about different places and cultures. Today, we delve into the most translated literary works from Asia, home to the world's most widespread literature, as diverse as its people, cultures, and landscapes. The most translated genres include a fiction novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Afghanistan), a poem, The Knight in the Panther's Skin by Shota Rustaveli (Georgia), a political book, I Killed Scheherazade: Confessions of an Angry Arab Woman by Jourmana Haddad (Lebanon), a history publication, The Book of Contemplation: Islam and the Crusades by Usama ibn Munqidh (Syria), and two autobiographies, The Road of Lost Innocence by Somaly Mam (Cambodia) and Awaken Healing Energy Through the Tao by Mantak Chia (Thailand).

Two great books compete for first place in Asia's most translated literary work: Tokyo Blues, Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami (Japan), and Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda (India). The former deals with the universal themes of self-loathing and grief following the protagonist's friend's suicide; the latter explores the spiritual journey of an adventurous man. Although these are seemingly divergent topics, the deeply personal experiences of who we are and why we are in this world touch the hearts of human experience. It's no wonder their messages demand to be read in many languages.

 

 

Tokyo Blues, Norwegian Wood is a 1987 novel by Japanese author Haruki Murakami. It catapulted him to worldwide fame and recognition. This novel — set in Tokyo in the late 1960s — has been translated into over 50 languages. Murakami has become one of the most famous Japanese writers in the West. His books have been translated into more than 40 languages. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times and has won numerous awards, including the Jerusalem Prize and the Catalonia International Prize.  

 

 

In this classic of spiritual literature, Paramahansa Yogananda narrates the inspiring chronicle of his life. His encounters with many saints and sages, ten years of spiritual training in the hermitage of an enlightened yoga master, and the more than 30 years he lived in the United States spreading the liberating teachings of Kriya Yoga. This literary work — a profound exposition of yoga science and philosophy — reveals the essential unity between the major religions of the East and the West. The book has been translated into more than 50 languages. 

 

 

A Thousand Splendid Suns is an English novel by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini. Published in Spanish in 2007 by Editorial Salamandra, this is the author's second literary work, following The Kite Runner, a bestseller that brought him worldwide fame in 2003. The novel tells the story of two women of similar ages but of different origins. Born under abuse and total submission, they both try to overcome their village's atavistic codes and leave, searching for a better destiny. It has been translated into more than 37 languages.

 

The English Patient is a 1992 novel by Sri Lankan-born Canadian author Michael Ondaatje. The book follows the story of four people gathered in an Italian villa during the Italian Campaign of World War II. 

It became an instant bestseller the moment it was published and has been translated into more than 30 languages. It was adapted into a film in 1996 by British director Anthony Minghella.

My Name Is Aram is a book of related short stories by William Saroyan, first published in 1940. The stories detail the exploits of Aram Garoghlanian, a boy of Armenian descent growing up in Fresno, California, and the various members of his extended family. It has been translated into more than 25 languages.

 

The Knight in the Panther's Skin is a famous epic poem written in the 12th century (although the earliest surviving copy dates back to the 16th century) by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli, Treasurer to Queen Tamara of Georgia. This work is considered a Georgian national epic poem; it was first printed in 1712 in Tbilisi and translated into more than 23 languages. 

In the poem, Rustaveli speaks of the humanistic ideals of Europe in the Middle Ages: chivalry, feelings of love, friendship, courtly love, bravery, and luck. The poem's heroes are brave, philanthropic, and generous, although not restricted to Georgian nationality. 

 

 

The True Story of Ah Q, written by Lu Xun, narrates the life of Ah Q in a humorous and straightforward style. Originally, Lu Xun wrote the story under the name "Ba Ren," and very few people knew who wrote the novel. Lucidly reflecting all the wrongs that afflicted China in the early 20th century, this literary work was first published in the Beijing Morning News supplement as a series. The first installment was published on December 4, 1921, and additional installments appeared weekly or biweekly. It has been translated into over 14 languages.  

 

 

The Saint in New York is a mystery novel by Leslie Charteris that was first published in the United Kingdom in 1935.  It was part of a saga chronicling the adventures of Simon Templar (aka The Saint), an anti-hero character inspired by Robin Hood. It is considered the most popular of all the installments of this character, turning the author into a literary celebrity in both the United States and Great Britain. It was translated into more than 13 languages and adapted into a film in 1938. 

 

The Garden of Evening Mist is the second English novel by Malaysian author Tan Twan Eng, first published in 2012. The book follows protagonist Teoh Yun Ling, a prisoner of the Japanese during World War II, who later became a judge overseeing war crimes cases. Seeking to create a garden in memory of her sister, who was imprisoned but did not survive, the protagonist ends up serving as an apprentice to a Japanese gardener in Cameron Highlands for several months. This book has received great critical acclaim and translated into more than 11 languages. 

 

 

This book voices the teachings of Mantak Chia, Taoist master, instructor, teacher, and writer, best known for his training on Taoist practices under Healing Tao, Tao Yoga, Universal Healing Tao System, and Qi Gong.

This book, written by Mantak Chia, has been translated into more than 11 languages.