The Hindi edition of the contemporary Chinese novel Wild Fox Ridge debuted at the New Delhi Book Fair, marking a significant moment in literary translation and cross-cultural exchange. The novel was translated into Hindi by award-winning translator Anand Swaroop Verma and published by New Delhi–based Prakashan Sansthan, a press with a longstanding commitment to introducing world literature to Indian readers.
The book launch event brought together 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. During the event, featured speakers read selected passages from the Hindi edition and engaged in discussions on the novel's literary themes and cultural context. In his speech, Tripathi described author Xuemo as a writer with international acclaim, praising the intellectual depth and narrative breadth of his work.
Rahul Sharma, director of Prakashan Sansthan, noted the distinctive voice in Xuemo's writing. Sharma stated that among the Chinese novels he has read, Xuemo's work is particularly distinctive and unpredictable. He 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. Several of Xuemo's works have previously been released 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.
Students and faculty at the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University have shown growing interest in Xuemo and his works, which are frequently used in literary research and cross-cultural studies. This indicates the novel's potential impact on academic discourse and its role in fostering deeper understanding between Chinese and Indian cultural narratives. Beyond its Hindi edition, Wild Fox Ridge has gained significant international recognition through its English-language edition. In 2025, the novel stood out among tens of thousands of entries worldwide, receiving several honors, including the International Impact Book Awards, the NYC Big Book Award and the International Book Awards.
According to commentary published by international media, Wild Fox Ridge represents a major stylistic shift in Xuemo's literary career. Compared with his earlier realist works, such as the Desert Trilogy, the novel blends historical narration with mystical and symbolic elements. Set within a ritual of summoning the souls, the novel recounts the mysterious disappearance of two camel caravans in western China more than a century ago. Through 28 spectral monologues, the story revisits the inner lives, beliefs and moral dilemmas of camel drivers struggling to survive in the unforgiving desert. Critics have called the work a poetic reimagining of the mythology in China's western region.
The launch of the Hindi edition not only makes this acclaimed work accessible to a wider Indian readership but also strengthens literary bridges between China and India. During the launch, visitors browsed the new release, spoke with the featured guests, and took commemorative photos with Xuemo's works. For further information about Xuemo and his other works, readers can visit https://www.xuemo.com or explore available titles at https://shop.xuemo.com and https://www.xuemobooks.com. The novel is also available for purchase on major platforms such as https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DRFGF6SF.
