Book launch of “Discovering the Clown” held at Beijing International Book Fair

Translators Luo Yu (right) and Chen Yinuo (left) pose for a group photo at the book launch of Discovering the Clown during the 31st Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) in Beijing, on June 20, 2025. (Photo provided to Guangming Online)

The official launch of Discovering the Clown was held by Jilin Publishing Group at the 31st Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) in Beijing, on June 20, 2025. Originally authored by Christopher Bayes, Chair of the Yale School of Drama, this foundational work on clown training has been translated into Chinese by performance educator Luo Yu and young translator Emily Chen (Chen Yinuo), marking its first full presentation to Chinese readers.

At the launch, the translators discussed how the translation process intertwined with theatre techniques and their therapeutic potential, vividly showcasing how clowning can transcend performance to become a healing force.

Regarded as a groundbreaking work in drama education, Discovering the Clown is a core textbook at Yale Drama. It explores the universally familiar yet enigmatic figure of the clown, leading readers on a journey to uncover their authentic self and sense of humor. Through this journey, readers reconnect with their playful and vulnerable inner child.

Drawing on over 30 years of theatrical experience, Bayes reimagines clowning not as technical mastery but as a heartfelt practice of shedding social masks. His clown training philosophy avoids complexity and jargon, instead focusing on sincerity, subtlety, and emotional honesty. This unique approach lifts clowning beyond entertainment, offering a powerful tool for self-exploration and drama therapy.

To Bayes, the clown is the unsocialized self—innocent, pure, and full of wonder. He erases the boundary between stage and life, turning clown discovery into a personal journey that heals and restores a connection to one’s inner truth Emily Chen, a 17-year-old translator, recounted her experience with therapeutic clowning as a volunteer at Let’s Grow, a community of adults with special needs: dressed in a Santa outfit and clown nose, she performed acts like gift-wrapping herself and running with a reindeer partner, bringing joy to a group of disabled spectators. This moment sparked her interest in clowning and eventually in translating Bayes’ work: “What Christopher calls the ‘unsocialized self’ matched what we were doing—using absurdity to awaken emotional resonance.”

Having grown up with more than 20 international au pairs and starred in the film When a Peking Family Meets an Au Pair, Emily brought a multicultural lens to her translation. She also illustrated and designed the book cover using playful imagery—bananas, tomatoes, and blueberries arranged into a clown face—to embody the book’s essence: that everyone has a clown within them.

Co-translator Luo Yu, an experienced acting teacher and co-founder of Yamashita Studio, brought a theoretical depth to the project. She notes that while Western clowning emphasizes “courage to show vulnerability,” traditional Chinese opera celebrates the clown’s aesthetic of “beauty through foolishness.” Luo believes this translation creates a dialogue between theatrical traditions and offers irreplaceable value in today’s AI-driven world: “Machines can mimic techniques, but not the life essence of improvisation.”

A representative of Jilin Publishing’s Beijing office commented, “We chose BIBF for the launch to highlight this book’s role as a cultural bridge. It’s a cross-disciplinary experiment where young translators meet academic frameworks, and Western ideas meet Chinese aesthetics.” He emphasized that this is more than a translated book—it’s a dramatic and therapeutic cultural collaboration offering tools for Chinese theatre and beyond.

As global exchanges deepen, this thoughtful, hands-on work offers a fresh path for reconnecting with authenticity and emotion. As Luo Yu and Emily Chen put it: “The clown isn’t just a performer—it’s the untouched, innocent part of all of us. When we dare to be clumsy and real, healing quietly begins.”