Writing Is it okay to make a Xianxia-styled novel with all main characters name English ?

[Panzerinsnow]

Pardon me for my bad English.
As i am writing a novel with lots of Xianxia elements like cultivation, systems, world-building.... but i met a mental problem : Chinese names somehow irk me every time i type them ( i swear i'm not racist, i have a difficulty with how they use their name and the meaning of the name for i live in a country where everyone's name have a hidden meaning) so the question is repeated : Is it natural for you to read a Xianxia-styled novel with all main characters name English ?

 

[GDLiZy]

Why not?

 

[OneRanter]

Pardon me for my bad English.
As i am writing a novel with lots of Xianxia elements like cultivation, systems, world-building.... but i met a mental problem : Chinese names somehow irk me every time i type them ( i swear i'm not racist, i have a difficulty with how they use their name and the meaning of the name for i live in a country where everyone's name have a hidden meaning) so the question is repeated : Is it natural for you to read a Xianxia-styled novel with all main characters name English ?

It shouldn't be a problem as long as the names are consistent with your worldbuilding/story. Or at least that's what I think. I don't remember clearly but I believe there are plenty of chinese/japanese novels where the characters have names that are closer to english traditional ones or the equivalent in kanji/etc.

Coiling Dragon is one example for starters

Chinese names vs western names - Webnovel.Forum

a will eternal, absolute choice, battle through the heavens, child of light, coiling dragon, desolate era, emperor s domination, gate of revelation, heavenly jewel change, i shall seal the heavens, legend of the dragon king, perfect world, rebirth of the thief, renegade immortal, skyfire avenue...

forum.webnovel.com

P.S. Here, have an ancient birb coocking manual from the Southern Unorthodox Birbcatcher Sect

 

[Alienix]

Why not?

Was about to say this

 

[Stratothrax]

I prefer it honestly but then I prefer my xianxia to not be pure xianxia and like it when western Dungeons ad Dragons stuff is blended in.

 

[Aleth08]

Pardon me for my bad English.
As i am writing a novel with lots of Xianxia elements like cultivation, systems, world-building.... but i met a mental problem : Chinese names somehow irk me every time i type them ( i swear i'm not racist, i have a difficulty with how they use their name and the meaning of the name for i live in a country where everyone's name have a hidden meaning) so the question is repeated : Is it natural for you to read a Xianxia-styled novel with all main characters name English ?

I write a xianxia-esque novel. And I use english names, tho not common ones u'll find irl. Even if you're writing ancient chinese xianxia type, the hardcore type, with sects and stuff, u can still switch to eng names. But u might have to pay attention to the flow. If u just abruptly change the cn names and let other things remain the same, it will feel weird. Just imagine someone saying 'Senior Brother John, how was your Divine Cultivation today?"

On a side note: I dont think u'll be a racist just cuz u dont like some country or certain aspect of it. Thats your opinion and your freedom. [Some might disagree, but its off topic, so lets stop at that].

 

[OneRanter]

I write a xianxia-esque novel. And I use english names, tho not common ones u'll find irl. Even if you're writing ancient chinese xianxia type, the hardcore type, with sects and stuff, u can still switch to eng names. But u might have to pay attention to the flow. If u just abruptly change the cn names and let other things remain the same, it will feel weird. Just imagine someone saying 'Senior Brother John, how was your Divine Cultivation today?"

On a side note: I dont think u'll be a racist just cuz u dont like some country or certain aspect of it. Thats your opinion and your freedom. [Some might disagree, but its off topic, so lets stop at that].

What about something like "S-sempai Rigoberto!" *blushes*

 

[tigerine]

Pardon me for my bad English.
As i am writing a novel with lots of Xianxia elements like cultivation, systems, world-building.... but i met a mental problem : Chinese names somehow irk me every time i type them ( i swear i'm not racist, i have a difficulty with how they use their name and the meaning of the name for i live in a country where everyone's name have a hidden meaning) so the question is repeated : Is it natural for you to read a Xianxia-styled novel with all main characters name English ?

I know I am in the minority here, but I don't think it's a good idea. A lot of xianxia concepts are fundamentally Chinese concepts. Flying on swords, cultivation and cultivation sects, martial arts with manuals, etc., are all very grounded in and (certainly in the case of cultivation) inseparable from Chinese culture. Deciding that you don't like Chinese names (or whatever you mean by this line about "how they use their names" and hidden meanings) while continuing to pick out whatever Chinese stuff you like and slapping non-Chinese names on it is, yeah, a little racist.

If you like the worldbuilding and ideas enough to write in a Chinese-styled setting, you need to pull up your socks and work with Chinese names. If you can't put in the effort, let the ideas go.

 

[mystearicah]

I think it’s okay. Do some experiment. Let them blend

 

[bafflinghaze]

I was thinking lately about writing a xianxia-esque novel with Chinese characters and characters in the east and south east Asian region...It feels like, if you write a pure xianxia novel, then having English names (or non Chinese names in general) for your characters will break the immersion of the story. I personally think it would mean that less people who love xianxia would try out your fic. Though that said, I'm sure readers would eventually get used to it.

If I hypothetically read your xianxia novel summary with English names, I would actually think it's more like a xuanhuan setting or merged with more western fantasy from the get go.

Basically: if you have English names, you're not in an Ancient Chinese setting anymore.

 

[CupcakeNinja]

Pardon me for my bad English.
As i am writing a novel with lots of Xianxia elements like cultivation, systems, world-building.... but i met a mental problem : Chinese names somehow irk me every time i type them ( i swear i'm not racist, i have a difficulty with how they use their name and the meaning of the name for i live in a country where everyone's name have a hidden meaning) so the question is repeated : Is it natural for you to read a Xianxia-styled novel with all main characters name English ?

go ahead but i best not see any Daniel-sans or Jason-dages (Chinese version of Oniisan if I'm not mistaken) else imma have to fist you. And fist you good. Prolapse your asshole and all that. Cuz those are cring as hell yo.

 

[Simo]

Pardon me for my bad English.
As i am writing a novel with lots of Xianxia elements like cultivation, systems, world-building.... but i met a mental problem : Chinese names somehow irk me every time i type them ( i swear i'm not racist, i have a difficulty with how they use their name and the meaning of the name for i live in a country where everyone's name have a hidden meaning) so the question is repeated : Is it natural for you to read a Xianxia-styled novel with all main characters name English ?

My story is Xianxia but m mixing it and not sticking to the generic format, names are also not Chinese which in my opinion makes them easier to remember and it overall has a eastern and western feel to it and so far it’s doing pretty well! ))

Re:Immortal

An RPG gamer who played the cultivation VRMMORPG ‘The Immortal’ for years, finds himself teleported to a parallel world that resembled the game greatly. He takes on the body of his ascended online character, only to find the once thriving Heaven's in ruins, the thousand year old sects nothing but...

www.scribblehub.com

I shall shamefully advertise it, but ya I think you can as we in my opinion we need less cliche Xianxia’s out there without young arrogant Masters courting death at each turn and almost impossible to remember names XD

 

[minacia]

I think it's important to do what what you're comfortable with and work towards your strengths.

If you feel like you're not able to do a good representation of Chinese culture, I think it's better not to try to open a Chinese restaurant. It's easy to miss or misinterpret some cultural nuances, and I've seen some very strange Chinese names.......

I think in many cases, it's possible to write a story that is a fusion or mixes in your strengths. At least, I think it's totally fine to adapt and modify.

 

[OneRanter]

I know I am in the minority here, but I don't think it's a good idea. A lot of xianxia concepts are fundamentally Chinese concepts. Flying on swords, cultivation and cultivation sects, martial arts with manuals, etc., are all very grounded in and (certainly in the case of cultivation) inseparable from Chinese culture. Deciding that you don't like Chinese names (or whatever you mean by this line about "how they use their names" and hidden meanings) while continuing to pick out whatever Chinese stuff you like and slapping non-Chinese names on it is, yeah, a little racist.

If you like the worldbuilding and ideas enough to write in a Chinese-styled setting, you need to pull up your socks and work with Chinese names. If you can't put in the effort, let the ideas go.

No, no, the ones that started writing xianxia with western names were the chinese themselves. There are plenty stories (coiling dragon included) like that.
The more common ones that do it are the ones focusing on a medieval europe-like setting or have elements from other countries/cultures.
Tales of the Reincarnated Lord
kingdom's Bloodline
Cohen of the Rebellion
Hail the King

 

[Deleted member 29316]

I believe you should write what you want to write and forget about what others would say.

We are in the era of Globalization, where people from different cultural backgrounds intermingle with each other. Using other culture for your literary device, as long as you don't intend to mock or belittle them, is ALRIGHT.

In fact, a lot of people would actually love seeing their culture being appreciated by other races.

 

[Discount_Blade]

I believe you should write what you want to write and forget about what others would say.

We are in the era of Globalization, where people from different cultural backgrounds intermingle with each other. Using other culture for your literary device, as long as you don't intend to mock or belittle them, is ALRIGHT.

In fact, a lot of people would actually love seeing their culture being appreciated by other races.

Yeah I agree. That Tigerine individual is yet another example of toxicity. I might not be much better but damn I hate people like her. She probably thinks she's some kind of fucking cultural defender.

 

[Milk.Milkan]

Eeh, Chinese names r always a strange unreadable crap while all dat xuan-suya-moya-xooinya genres r, welp, interesting at least and can do lots of stuff as the potential is huge so it is an ok idea to do whatever with any names u want cuz some nominal xianxia do not belong to china after all.

 

[Discount_Blade]

Eeh, Chinese names r always a strange unreadable crap while all dat xuan-suya-moya-xooinya genres r, welp, interesting at least and can do lots of stuff as the potential is huge so it is an ok idea to do whatever with any names u want cuz some nominal xianxia do not belong to china after all.

Personally, Chinese names are too alike. Most of them are barely any different when translated into English letters. I know meanings are lost in translation, but in English, Chinese names simply suck. Korean and Japanese names allow for a much higher variety of usage. Japanese more than even Korean. But yeah, Chinese names are the LAST kind I would use for anything. And its almost impossible to differentiate the two genders of the names just by reading them in English lettering text alone because I've rarely read a single Chinese name that wasn't used for both genders at some point.

Outside of their own text with it's personal meanings that don't carry over in translation, Chinese names are awful. Its impossible to understand what may or may not be unique about them. The English language doesn't allow for nuanced meanings in a name if not stated extremely directly/explicitly.

 

[Milk.Milkan]

Personally, Chinese names are too alike. Most of them are barely any different when translated into English letters. I know meanings are lost in translation, but in English, Chinese names simply suck.

Add to this the simple fact dat Chinese names r just too complicated as a concept.

So if ure a lil western author who just like xianxia and want to write a novel in dis setting u really wont go and learn da language just to give ur characters a proper names(u can tho).

And trooly agree with the fact dat china names in english seems too similar and hard to remember. I literally can meet in a random translated novel 3 different characters with a nominal "surname Li" but one will be a "son of a mighty Li house" another will be a random beggar and the last will be a fictional character but they all will be "Li" dat u physically cant show the difference simply writing in english.

And you will lose even dat if ure a western author trying to use chinese names if u no know language so we can even add a more proper fact.

Its not just ok to use non-china names in nominal xianxia, it is BETTER to no use china names cuz other way ud most likely to fuck up.
(If u no know chinese ofc.)

 

[UYScuti]

I think this is been beaten to death, but I’m trying to get to 150. I don’t see a point in writing names that you can’t figure out. You’re likely to name your MC’s love interest “Dog Shit” in a translation. Also, the majority of your readers are reading in English right? Then write names that are easy to read. Like Dave, Mike, Bill. This will make it easier and add a little humor. Xianxia should make you laugh.

Dave from the accounting sect stood on his file cabinet and pointed to Mike in I.T. “I, your father, have reported you to Elder management for not filing your accounts billable on time.”

The crowd gossiped, cause that’s what they do, as Mike raised a server over his head. “This grandfather here has logged all your internet traffic. Draw your stapler coward and taste my hard drive of truth!”