Translated Chinese boys' love novels: Norms and the dynamism of the Chinese BL polysystem in Thailand

Abstract

Drawing on Itamar Even-Zohar’s (1979) polysystem theory and Gideon Toury’s (1978) norms, this study attempts to illuminate the dynamics of Thailand’s Chinese BL publishing industry through interview data collected from six editors of Chinese BL-oriented publishers. The study reveals that participants at various levels can exert their agency in selecting Chinese BL texts, and given the strong demand for Chinese BL, expediency prevails in the decision-making process. Chinese BL imprints under larger publishing companies tend to enforce a broader range of taboo tropes due to their heightened concern for profit margins. Meanwhile, small independent publishers are more generous with their manuscript selection and typically have their own signature themed lines of publications, aimed not only at catering to a niche market but also at satisfying the personal preferences of their executive staff. The competition for Chinese BL has diminished the monopoly of large publishing companies over the acquisition of popular manuscripts, enabling small to medium publishers to gain a foothold in the Chinese BL market. In terms of translation, owing to the visibility of readers (Chang and Zhao 2022), the initial norm of acceptability is prioritized, although the criteria for acceptable translations may differ from one manuscript to another.