Naming Convention for Asian Characters

Well, I'm hardly the expert here, but I would simply keep those rules of etiquette in mind and write accordingly. I don't think you have to worry about overly using the full name if the circumstances allow you to use another alternative.

Keep in mind, too, that there are other creative ways to identify Mr. Tsui Tai without actually calling him by name. Of course, there's always the informal pronouns in the mix.

I think your audience is bright enough to distinguish who the characters are and who you may be referring to if you write well enough. So, if his wife addresses him as Tai and the neighbor waves a greeting with, "hello, neighbor," I'm sure they'll get it.

I don't know how helpful this was, but I think you're worrying too much about it right now. Just write, and then re-read things. If it's obvious that another way of addressing someone should be used, you'll see it clear enough.

Good luck, David. Sounds like an interesting project you have going there!

Can you work the etiquette into the story so the reader understands?

I wouldn't worry about it too much because readers tend to be a pretty clever bunch. Most people I know are already aware that some parts of the world put the family name first.

Birol's suggestion sounds like a good one to me, though. Can you stick one really rude person in early in the story?

"Good morning, Tsui," Fa said.
Tai gritted his teeth, the heat rising in his cheeks. Adressing people by their family name alone was horribly rude, but what was he supposed to do? Start a yardfight with the commander's son? "Good morning."

-----

Also, if you're writing in limited third or even third-person omniscient, I don't see a problem with calling your viewpoint character by his familiar name in narration. People do that all the time with western characters, after all. When you're in your MC's head, it makes perfect sense to call him by the same name he'd call himself.

That's a little touchier with third person objective/detached, but if that's the viewpoint you're using, you're far braver than I am.

Well, even Western naming conventions can be tricky. Nobility can often be known by three names, all of use depending on etiquette: Christian Name, family name, or major holding. I imagine undue familiarity by a lessor would also be considered rude.

I seem to recall this being handled fairly gracefully in Barry Hughart's "Bridge of Birds" -- the main character was always "Master Li" or "Li Kao" and the viewpoint character always introduced himself as "My name is Lu and my personal name is Yu, but I am not to be confused with the eminent author of the Book of Tea." (or something very similiar to that.) The repetition of this particular introduction through the book was kinda quirky and charming, and established that this was a very earnest and polite character (and anyway, his nickname was Ox, which was a lot shorter.)

Granted, however, it was a quirky and charming book, and if you're going for something rather more serious, that sort of approach may not work at all. I'd definitely keep the Asian style of naming, though, as it'll probably help contribute to the distinctive flavor of the book. I wouldn't worry about the reputation of the double name in speech--I mean, they're both short names, so it's not like you've got a character named Anaximander Anixerxes, or something equally unwieldy. I think people'll get used to the double name very quickly--we survive Mary Jo and Peggy Sue, after all...

Quick recommendation: make sure your major characters all have a different letter to start their names.

A useful trick to keep characters separate when cultural confusions might occur.

Otherwise, I suspect Gaijins and roundeyes are savvier than you think. Especially among the Sci-Fi/Fant crowd. Ro Larin, anyone?

Oh, and don't use Tsui. I already did that book.

edit: That isn't to say you can't, but come on... He's one of the main characters in my first and I'm going to take over the fantasy world, so everyone will be like "Hey, you stole that name!", ad you'll be like, "But it's a real common Chinese name!" and they'll be like "So! It's in this great book that took over the world! It looks like you're trying to gank google hits!"

Follow the naming convention that is "accurate" for your time period and geography. In this case, 12th century China -- that would put us in the Jin Dynasty. However, you're writing for a modern, western audience so you're allowed some flexibility... I mean, even the pronunciations would be all wrong -- "Tsui Tai," for example, would be Mandarin pinyin, I suppose? Obviously, Mandarin Chinese as we know it now didn't exist during Jin Dynasty... But we write with pinyin anyway, since that's what we know NOW. I mean, you wouldn't write in Old English just because you set your story in medieval England, would you?

I would use a variation in your novel so you don't get "Tsui Tai" all the time. Family members and relative could address him as "Tai." Peers could address him as "Old Tsui" or "Master Tsui" (Tsui Lao-ban). Subordinates might address him simply as Master...

I think western readers are sophisticated enough to realize that in cultures like Chinese or Japanese, they put the surname first. Only in recent years, when Chinese nationals try to "westernize" do they switch it around. So Gong Li became Li Gong, which I think is stupid. As long as you're consistent and perhaps indicate early on that "Tsui" is the family name, I think you'll be okay:

The Tsui family realized their son Tai was missing. "Tsui Tai is a good boy," they said. To Master Tsui, his son Tai was the naughty one.

If you do that and keep it consistent, I don't think western readers would confuse the surnames with the given names.

You may also help your readers to understand this "switchadoo" by introducing some familiar surnames such as Chen or Li: The Li family celebrated the birth of their first son, Li Kun.

Does no one have the courage to name a character Wang Chung?

Wang Ch'un the philosopher? Or, Wang Chun the famous Chinese general during the three kingdoms period?

Sounds like a great name to me. Doesn't take much courage to see that.

Oh, the eighties band... Well, you old farts may automatically end your Wang Chung's with "TONIGHT!!!!", but the rest of civilized society is far more interested in Wang Ch'un.

maestrowork said:

... I think western readers are sophisticated enough to realize that in cultures like Chinese or Japanese, they put the surname first. ...

Click to expand...

There is a very common western culture that follows this convention as well: The United States military establishment. "Sir! Jones, Robert! Private! US 555-66-4321! Sir!"