What do you think?
Rate this book
Objects of Desire: 10 Malaysian Chinese Short Stories in Translation
The term for Malaysian fiction in the Chinese language is ‘mahua’. We present 10 recent mahua short stories work that are translated into English for the first time.
Ranging from the surreal to the grounded, they offer a glimpse into the preoccupations, concerns and maybe even fetishes of some of the most talented contemporary writers in this field.
The writers: Yeow Jun Heng, King Ban Hui, Tew Pak Ching, NiuYou XiaoSheng, Chan Yeong Siew, leemuzmuz, Veda, Choh Chin Fei, Lee Sieng Liong & Lee Tian Poh.
The translators: Dano Chow, Yee Heng Yeh, Lai Suk Yin, Brandon Choo, Foo Sek Han, Ooi Yining, Michelle Yoon, Delilah Ho, Chang Zhui Ning & Allie Xiang Haiyin.
Ranging from the surreal to the grounded, they offer a glimpse into the preoccupations, concerns and maybe even fetishes of some of the most talented contemporary writers in this field.
The writers: Yeow Jun Heng, King Ban Hui, Tew Pak Ching, NiuYou XiaoSheng, Chan Yeong Siew, leemuzmuz, Veda, Choh Chin Fei, Lee Sieng Liong & Lee Tian Poh.
The translators: Dano Chow, Yee Heng Yeh, Lai Suk Yin, Brandon Choo, Foo Sek Han, Ooi Yining, Michelle Yoon, Delilah Ho, Chang Zhui Ning & Allie Xiang Haiyin.
188 pages, Paperback
Published April 26, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 11, 2025
Mungkin antologi cerpen terbaik dibaca tahun ini. Paling suka 5 buah cerpen terawal yang tema dan gaya berbeza tapi sangat mengesankan.
Read
May 6, 2025Interesting things I have learnt about Mahua, which I think is different from English lit:
- naming the main protagonist is, apparently, almost unheard of. OMG like 8/10 stories do not name the MC and sometimes not even the other characters T.T And one of them, I'm not actually sure if the MC was named or not, so maybe that's 9/10 lmaoooo
- the writers reference English classics, which is interesting, because I wouldn't expect any English works to reference Chinese lit!
- there are a lot of stories around memories and losing the past. Maybe this is an outflow of how Malaysian Chinese feel like we're slowly losing our culture to time and modernisation.
- also a lot of family feels.
- maybe also a preoccupation with death... idk, I feel like only 2 stories don't mention death (or a dead person) in any form.
How Mahua is similar to English literary short stories:
- the writers have an obsession with affairs, sex, and the penis.
- some of them have really weird endings? Like what? What am I supposed to get from this? Is this story even complete? IS THIS A FEVER DREAM.
- these are the same reasons I rarely read (or write) in the "literary" genre lol.
Anyway, notable stories, or stories I thought were really strong:
Xia Mei’s Clock by King Ban Hui, Yee Heng Yeh (Tr)
This is the story where the title comes from:
Xia Mei’s Clock is a pandemic story, where interpersonal connections are fraying and time has lost its meaning. The protagonist (also unnamed, unless that stray mention of ‘Xing Ye’ towards the end is his name?) requests for a human prostitute at the clock hotel instead of a silicone doll. Yet as the story slips from the protagonist, to Xia Mei, then back again; and as COVID rages and time skips; there’s an underlying surrealness to the story, making you question if Xia Mei is actually human.
As much as I thought this was a really iffy premise, this is a solid story on connection, the male loneliness epidemic, and the ravages of time.
Our Years on the Mountain Top by Tew Pak Ching, Lai Suk Yin (Tr)
If I had to make a snap judgement on Mahua based on this book, it would be the fact that Malaysian Chinese writers are somehow obsessed with penises. This heartwarming story of sibling love (and rivalry) as well as a mother’s sacrifice for her children (both evident in the mother and grandmother in this story) is framed by the very strange peeing competition in the morning, and the younger sister’s preoccupation for looking at her brother’s pee-pee. Like why.
Yesterday’s Sunken Fragrance by Chan Yeong Siew, Foo Sek Han (Tr)
A chance look at a Malaysian news headline reveals the truth behind the long silence from Liu Chen Xiang’s lover, Ma Yao Han.
Actually, the most exciting thing about this story is that finally, finally EVERYONE IS NAMED. It’s a weird thing to note, because like a predominant writing advice in English is to name your characters upfront and all these stories so far have gotten away with having a lot of unnamed characters. But I digress.
Yesterday’s Sunken Fragrance dwells in memories and loss, and also secrets and the grief that comes from them. It’s bittersweet, and yet also tinged with practicality as Chen Xiang says her goodbyes in the city she’s long left behind.
Panas by leemuzmuz, Ooi Yining (Tr)
Panas is a hard-hitting story of sexual assault in school, flitting from her present trauma to the past events that created them. It’s a painful look at how the perpetrators are often protected and victims told to just suck it up and move on. And that last haunting question: would none of this have happened if she were a boy?
All in all, this was a fascinating exploration of literature that I would normally never read, either because of the genre or because of the language.
Looking forward to the next in the series!
- naming the main protagonist is, apparently, almost unheard of. OMG like 8/10 stories do not name the MC and sometimes not even the other characters T.T And one of them, I'm not actually sure if the MC was named or not, so maybe that's 9/10 lmaoooo
- the writers reference English classics, which is interesting, because I wouldn't expect any English works to reference Chinese lit!
- there are a lot of stories around memories and losing the past. Maybe this is an outflow of how Malaysian Chinese feel like we're slowly losing our culture to time and modernisation.
- also a lot of family feels.
- maybe also a preoccupation with death... idk, I feel like only 2 stories don't mention death (or a dead person) in any form.
How Mahua is similar to English literary short stories:
- the writers have an obsession with affairs, sex, and the penis.
- some of them have really weird endings? Like what? What am I supposed to get from this? Is this story even complete? IS THIS A FEVER DREAM.
- these are the same reasons I rarely read (or write) in the "literary" genre lol.
Anyway, notable stories, or stories I thought were really strong:
Xia Mei’s Clock by King Ban Hui, Yee Heng Yeh (Tr)
This is the story where the title comes from:
“At one point, he had swiped through the photos of these girls who, through the way they dressed, presented themselves as objects of desire on the website. Whoever they once were had been reduced to just their name, age, body measurements, and nationality.”
Xia Mei’s Clock is a pandemic story, where interpersonal connections are fraying and time has lost its meaning. The protagonist (also unnamed, unless that stray mention of ‘Xing Ye’ towards the end is his name?) requests for a human prostitute at the clock hotel instead of a silicone doll. Yet as the story slips from the protagonist, to Xia Mei, then back again; and as COVID rages and time skips; there’s an underlying surrealness to the story, making you question if Xia Mei is actually human.
As much as I thought this was a really iffy premise, this is a solid story on connection, the male loneliness epidemic, and the ravages of time.
Our Years on the Mountain Top by Tew Pak Ching, Lai Suk Yin (Tr)
If I had to make a snap judgement on Mahua based on this book, it would be the fact that Malaysian Chinese writers are somehow obsessed with penises. This heartwarming story of sibling love (and rivalry) as well as a mother’s sacrifice for her children (both evident in the mother and grandmother in this story) is framed by the very strange peeing competition in the morning, and the younger sister’s preoccupation for looking at her brother’s pee-pee. Like why.
Yesterday’s Sunken Fragrance by Chan Yeong Siew, Foo Sek Han (Tr)
A chance look at a Malaysian news headline reveals the truth behind the long silence from Liu Chen Xiang’s lover, Ma Yao Han.
Actually, the most exciting thing about this story is that finally, finally EVERYONE IS NAMED. It’s a weird thing to note, because like a predominant writing advice in English is to name your characters upfront and all these stories so far have gotten away with having a lot of unnamed characters. But I digress.
Yesterday’s Sunken Fragrance dwells in memories and loss, and also secrets and the grief that comes from them. It’s bittersweet, and yet also tinged with practicality as Chen Xiang says her goodbyes in the city she’s long left behind.
Panas by leemuzmuz, Ooi Yining (Tr)
Panas is a hard-hitting story of sexual assault in school, flitting from her present trauma to the past events that created them. It’s a painful look at how the perpetrators are often protected and victims told to just suck it up and move on. And that last haunting question: would none of this have happened if she were a boy?
All in all, this was a fascinating exploration of literature that I would normally never read, either because of the genre or because of the language.
Looking forward to the next in the series!
May 4, 2025
“Perhaps superstitions are ultimately a form of comfort. It will be a long while before so-called modernity and rational thought could completely take its place”
Objects of Desire is a collection of 10 Malaysian Chinese short stories in translation (edited by Lee Hao Jie). This is the first title in PEN Malaysia’s “Connections” series, aiming to “bridge the literatures of different languages and dialects”, given that Malaysia is a multiracial and multilingual society. With stories written in Chinese by 10 different writers and translated by 10 different translators with different professional backgrounds, this collection features Mahua literature (马华文学) - “work by Malaysian Chinese writers who write in their mother tongue” - which has taken root in the arena of Malaysian literature since the late 19th century. These stories departed from the common traits of Malaysian literature (which revolves mainly around the themes of Japanese occupation, legacy of British colonialism) where they explore “desires”, ranging from desire for love, familial comfort, freedom, non-conformity, societal recognition, and reconciliation with one’s trauma. “Objects of Desire” (apparently it is the title of the cover image of the book itself, painted by Fahmi Mustaffa) aptly describes the overarching theme of all 10 stories. They offer a fresh perspective on the extent of which Malaysian literature (in particular, Mahua literature) could offer to readers. This collection truly showcased the talent of existing and/or up-and-coming writers and translators in Malaysia. The setting and atmosphere of the stories are relatable to Malaysians and Malaysian readers would definitely be able to connect with the characters in these stories easily.
My personal favourites would be “Snail （蜗牛)”, written by Yeow Jun Heng and translated by Dano Chow, which features a male character who is obsessed with collecting snail shells, and slowly turning into a snail (yes, it sounds like Kafka’s Metamorphosis but with its own unique twist and metaphors); “Xia Mei’s Clock (夏美的时钟)”, written by King Ban Hui and translated by Yee Heng Yeh, which features the state of a clock hotel, pre and post COVID, and brilliantly played with the notions of time and memory which were distorted and deeply affected by the pandemic; “The Telephone Romance at No. 9 Ring Alley (指环巷九号电话情事)” written by Lee Tian POh and translated by Allie Xiang Haiyin, which was narrated by a male character, trapped in a small house due to his leg injury, and most of his communication were made through phone calls, with his mother, aunt, and a mysterious stranger (p.s. this story brilliantly blurs the line between the past and present and features my favourite Anita Mui’s 胭脂扣); “Paper Offerings (纸扎记) written by Veda and translated by Michelle Yoon, which was narrated by a female zhizha craftspeople (a person who crafts paper effigies for Chinese funerals), reminiscing her memories of her dead father and her father’s love towards Cantonese opera (p.s. this story brilliantly inculcated a cultural aspect of Malaysian Chinese funerals as well as the love of Cantonese opera by the older generation); “Panas” written by Ooi Yining and translated by leemuzmuz, which features the story of a female character reminiscing her traumatic experience where she was sexually assaulted by her school teacher. All in all, this should be a well-celebrated effort by PEN Malaysia in showcasing the diversity that we could offer to the literary scene! A highly recommended read!
Objects of Desire is a collection of 10 Malaysian Chinese short stories in translation (edited by Lee Hao Jie). This is the first title in PEN Malaysia’s “Connections” series, aiming to “bridge the literatures of different languages and dialects”, given that Malaysia is a multiracial and multilingual society. With stories written in Chinese by 10 different writers and translated by 10 different translators with different professional backgrounds, this collection features Mahua literature (马华文学) - “work by Malaysian Chinese writers who write in their mother tongue” - which has taken root in the arena of Malaysian literature since the late 19th century. These stories departed from the common traits of Malaysian literature (which revolves mainly around the themes of Japanese occupation, legacy of British colonialism) where they explore “desires”, ranging from desire for love, familial comfort, freedom, non-conformity, societal recognition, and reconciliation with one’s trauma. “Objects of Desire” (apparently it is the title of the cover image of the book itself, painted by Fahmi Mustaffa) aptly describes the overarching theme of all 10 stories. They offer a fresh perspective on the extent of which Malaysian literature (in particular, Mahua literature) could offer to readers. This collection truly showcased the talent of existing and/or up-and-coming writers and translators in Malaysia. The setting and atmosphere of the stories are relatable to Malaysians and Malaysian readers would definitely be able to connect with the characters in these stories easily.
My personal favourites would be “Snail （蜗牛)”, written by Yeow Jun Heng and translated by Dano Chow, which features a male character who is obsessed with collecting snail shells, and slowly turning into a snail (yes, it sounds like Kafka’s Metamorphosis but with its own unique twist and metaphors); “Xia Mei’s Clock (夏美的时钟)”, written by King Ban Hui and translated by Yee Heng Yeh, which features the state of a clock hotel, pre and post COVID, and brilliantly played with the notions of time and memory which were distorted and deeply affected by the pandemic; “The Telephone Romance at No. 9 Ring Alley (指环巷九号电话情事)” written by Lee Tian POh and translated by Allie Xiang Haiyin, which was narrated by a male character, trapped in a small house due to his leg injury, and most of his communication were made through phone calls, with his mother, aunt, and a mysterious stranger (p.s. this story brilliantly blurs the line between the past and present and features my favourite Anita Mui’s 胭脂扣); “Paper Offerings (纸扎记) written by Veda and translated by Michelle Yoon, which was narrated by a female zhizha craftspeople (a person who crafts paper effigies for Chinese funerals), reminiscing her memories of her dead father and her father’s love towards Cantonese opera (p.s. this story brilliantly inculcated a cultural aspect of Malaysian Chinese funerals as well as the love of Cantonese opera by the older generation); “Panas” written by Ooi Yining and translated by leemuzmuz, which features the story of a female character reminiscing her traumatic experience where she was sexually assaulted by her school teacher. All in all, this should be a well-celebrated effort by PEN Malaysia in showcasing the diversity that we could offer to the literary scene! A highly recommended read!
Read
July 5, 2025i've never read a short story collection nor have i read any mahua before, but i thoroughly enjoyed this. malaysia is a multiracial country, and that should be reflected in its literature. its cool that they brought 10 different authors and 10 different translators to help offer this new perspective into malaysian literature.
there was a lot of variation in the collection, but they mostly centred around memories and nostalgia. i was expecting a lot of malaysian slang and colloquialism, but the writing styles felt quite cold and formal.
some of the stories that really stood out to me were:
"Our Years on the Mountain Top" - Tew Pak Ching, [Tr] Lai Suk Yin
a story about familial love, and struggle. although there was a strange fixation on penises and peeing (??), the story was very moving and grounded which i loved.
"Yesterday’s Sunken Fragrance" - Chan Yeong Siew, [Tr] Foo Sek Han
forbidden love, 'right person, wrong time', loss, grief vibes. i loved this story. the story was compelling, fresh, and the writing was evocative. loveeeee
"The Telephone Romance at No. 9 Ring Alley" - Lee Tian Poh, [Tr] Allie Xiang Haiyin
a man is confined to his house due to an injury, and the only thing connecting him to the outside world is his landline. the story explores loss, abandonment and isolation. i think that the main character feels abandoned by the loss of his mother. and that results in him clinging to old things like the landline and feelings of isolation and confinement physically manifesting as a leg injury. (oh and maybe the landline represents a physical connection and attachment to the past?)
overall this was a really good intro to mahua, even if some of the stories didnt really land with me. i think its really important to have these windows into different lives, different stories, that are atypical to the mainstream. id read more of these.
there was a lot of variation in the collection, but they mostly centred around memories and nostalgia. i was expecting a lot of malaysian slang and colloquialism, but the writing styles felt quite cold and formal.
some of the stories that really stood out to me were:
"Our Years on the Mountain Top" - Tew Pak Ching, [Tr] Lai Suk Yin
a story about familial love, and struggle. although there was a strange fixation on penises and peeing (??), the story was very moving and grounded which i loved.
"Yesterday’s Sunken Fragrance" - Chan Yeong Siew, [Tr] Foo Sek Han
forbidden love, 'right person, wrong time', loss, grief vibes. i loved this story. the story was compelling, fresh, and the writing was evocative. loveeeee
"The Telephone Romance at No. 9 Ring Alley" - Lee Tian Poh, [Tr] Allie Xiang Haiyin
a man is confined to his house due to an injury, and the only thing connecting him to the outside world is his landline. the story explores loss, abandonment and isolation. i think that the main character feels abandoned by the loss of his mother. and that results in him clinging to old things like the landline and feelings of isolation and confinement physically manifesting as a leg injury. (oh and maybe the landline represents a physical connection and attachment to the past?)
overall this was a really good intro to mahua, even if some of the stories didnt really land with me. i think its really important to have these windows into different lives, different stories, that are atypical to the mainstream. id read more of these.
January 2, 2026
It opened my heart to new experiences.
The book is well-crafted. The structure of the book (i.e., introduction, author and translator details and publication details) is pristine and fresh—I enjoyed the format of it all. The stories are heartfelt, but only if you allow yourself to experience these out-of-the-ordinary stories.
The stories do not challenge society, but merely cast light on the dark side of it without forcing any agenda. The stories don't fully beam light on social issues; they shine a gentle and low-burning lantern over them.
I appreciate the delicate language one of the stories used to retell the experiences of a child who has fallen victim to the radar of a predatory teacher. The story is told from the child's perspective. This is rare to find, as we obviously know the harms, danger, absolute immorality and sinfulness of a perverted teacher to students, but rarely do the news we read (hence ourselves) try to sympathise with the child's psyche. It may often be the case the child does not know what is going on (okay, now that I type it out, I guess it is obvious). The child is innocently playing with erasers and has to ignore the subtle sexual assaults committed by those with authority in order to continue to delightfully play with erasers. Hence, the child's memory of the assault remains vague; it is blurred in order to live a happy childhood, playing with erasers of different colours and shapes.
4/5 stars because I think a couple of the stories did not hit me as emotionally as most of the stories did, so those couple of stories feel out of place. I am so proud that I'm discovering more and more Malaysians who are capable of producing such entertaining, emotional and thought-provoking literature.
The book is well-crafted. The structure of the book (i.e., introduction, author and translator details and publication details) is pristine and fresh—I enjoyed the format of it all. The stories are heartfelt, but only if you allow yourself to experience these out-of-the-ordinary stories.
The stories do not challenge society, but merely cast light on the dark side of it without forcing any agenda. The stories don't fully beam light on social issues; they shine a gentle and low-burning lantern over them.
I appreciate the delicate language one of the stories used to retell the experiences of a child who has fallen victim to the radar of a predatory teacher. The story is told from the child's perspective. This is rare to find, as we obviously know the harms, danger, absolute immorality and sinfulness of a perverted teacher to students, but rarely do the news we read (hence ourselves) try to sympathise with the child's psyche. It may often be the case the child does not know what is going on (okay, now that I type it out, I guess it is obvious). The child is innocently playing with erasers and has to ignore the subtle sexual assaults committed by those with authority in order to continue to delightfully play with erasers. Hence, the child's memory of the assault remains vague; it is blurred in order to live a happy childhood, playing with erasers of different colours and shapes.
4/5 stars because I think a couple of the stories did not hit me as emotionally as most of the stories did, so those couple of stories feel out of place. I am so proud that I'm discovering more and more Malaysians who are capable of producing such entertaining, emotional and thought-provoking literature.
November 12, 2025
3.75 stars
Thanks to my friend Lu Yin for lending me her copy of this book.
I didn't know there's a term for Malaysian Chinese literature, which is called Mahua. These 10 short stories are translated from Chinese into English for the first time to make them accessible to non-Chinese readers.
A few of these stories are set during the pandemic era, while others explore the themes of identity, the Chinese culture, societal expectations, and personal longing and yearning. What all stories have in common is the recalling of memories and reflection of life.
This is a good introduction to Mahua literature. Will keep my eyes peeled for other works in the literature.
Thanks to my friend Lu Yin for lending me her copy of this book.
I didn't know there's a term for Malaysian Chinese literature, which is called Mahua. These 10 short stories are translated from Chinese into English for the first time to make them accessible to non-Chinese readers.
A few of these stories are set during the pandemic era, while others explore the themes of identity, the Chinese culture, societal expectations, and personal longing and yearning. What all stories have in common is the recalling of memories and reflection of life.
This is a good introduction to Mahua literature. Will keep my eyes peeled for other works in the literature.
August 29, 2026
my first time reading ma hua. the premises are truly fresh. readers are taken into worlds of altered reality that seem nearer to our hearts than the bland old reality itself. as a chinese indonesian, some of the cultural references are easy to catch and feels very close to home. delighted to have read this. i hope PEN Malaysia releases more books like this.
July 29, 2026
A pretty good read about life.
August 25, 2026
An interesting set of short stories, set against the complex cultural, socio-political landscape that Chinese Malaysians live in.
January 23, 2026
My first experience reading Mahua in translation, and my first time encountering the term. I picked this up out of curiosity, wanting to explore stories that carry culture and lived experiences. It’s a reminder of why I appreciate Malaysia’s diversity so much.
Objects of Desire revolves around different forms of longing, emotional intimacy, family comfort, freedom, uncertainty, recognition, making sense of trauma (as what I understand). The reading experience varies from story to story.
Some stories stood out for me:
🔅Our Years on The Mountain Top
🔅Yesterday’s Sunken Fragrance
🔅Panas (this one hit me hard, it centres on a girl’s trauma following sexual assault 😳)
🔅Paper Offerings (deeply nostalgic)
🔅Toys (surprisingly relatable)
🔅The Telephone Romance at No. 9 Ring Alley (quietly lonely).
All the translators did a great job in capturing the emotional weight of these stories. Although each piece is translated by a different translator and carries a slightly different voice, the emotions carry through clearly.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, the printing, translations, and even the size felt thoughtfully done.
Objects of Desire revolves around different forms of longing, emotional intimacy, family comfort, freedom, uncertainty, recognition, making sense of trauma (as what I understand). The reading experience varies from story to story.
Some stories stood out for me:
🔅Our Years on The Mountain Top
🔅Yesterday’s Sunken Fragrance
🔅Panas (this one hit me hard, it centres on a girl’s trauma following sexual assault 😳)
🔅Paper Offerings (deeply nostalgic)
🔅Toys (surprisingly relatable)
🔅The Telephone Romance at No. 9 Ring Alley (quietly lonely).
All the translators did a great job in capturing the emotional weight of these stories. Although each piece is translated by a different translator and carries a slightly different voice, the emotions carry through clearly.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, the printing, translations, and even the size felt thoughtfully done.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews