David Hawkes (scholar)
Encyclopedia
David Hawkes was a British
Sinologist. He studied Mandarin Chinese
and Japanese
at Oxford University between 1945 and 1947 and was a research student at the National Peking University
from 1948 to 1951. During the later years of World War II
he taught Japanese to military cryptolinguists and codebreakers. He was Professor of Chinese at Oxford from 1959 until 1971. From 1973 to 1983, he was a Research Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, and subsequently became an Emeritus Fellow. He died in Oxford on Friday 31 July 2009.
David Hawkes is most well regarded for his literary translations of Chinese, having translated the poetry anthology The Songs of the South
in 1959. His A Little Primer of Tu Fu is an authoritative study and translation of the Tang
poet Du Fu
.
His most important translated work is The Story of the Stone
(also known as The Dream of the Red Chamber). Hawkes translated the first eighty chapters (which are ascribed to Cao Xueqin
) and John Minford
translated the Cheng-Gao continuation.
David Hawkes' translations include:
Other works include:
He is the father of Rachel May, and father-in-law of translator John Minford, who dedicated the book A Birthday Book for Brother Stone: For David Hawkes, at Eighty to him.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Sinologist. He studied Mandarin Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
and Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
at Oxford University between 1945 and 1947 and was a research student at the National Peking University
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
from 1948 to 1951. During the later years of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he taught Japanese to military cryptolinguists and codebreakers. He was Professor of Chinese at Oxford from 1959 until 1971. From 1973 to 1983, he was a Research Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, and subsequently became an Emeritus Fellow. He died in Oxford on Friday 31 July 2009.
David Hawkes is most well regarded for his literary translations of Chinese, having translated the poetry anthology The Songs of the South
Chu Ci
Chu Ci , also known as Songs of the South or Songs of Chu, is an anthology of Chinese verse traditionally attributed to Qu Yuan and Song Yu from the Warring States Period, though about half of the poems seem to have been composed several centuries later, during the Han Dynasty...
in 1959. His A Little Primer of Tu Fu is an authoritative study and translation of the Tang
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
poet Du Fu
Du Fu
Du Fu was a prominent Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty.Along with Li Bai , he is frequently called the greatest of the Chinese poets. His greatest ambition was to serve his country as a successful civil servant, but he proved unable to make the necessary accommodations...
.
His most important translated work is The Story of the Stone
Dream of the Red Chamber
Dream of the Red Chamber , composed by Cao Xueqin, is one of China's Four Great Classical Novels. It was composed in the middle of the 18th century during the Qing Dynasty. It is considered to be a masterpiece of Chinese vernacular literature and is generally acknowledged to be a pinnacle of...
(also known as The Dream of the Red Chamber). Hawkes translated the first eighty chapters (which are ascribed to Cao Xueqin
Cao Xueqin
Cao Xueqin was a Qing Dynasty Chinese writer, best known as the author of Dream of the Red Chamber, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature...
) and John Minford
John Minford
John Minford is a sinologist and literary translator. He is primarily known for his translation of Chinese classics such as The Story of the Stone and The Art of War.-Early years and education:...
translated the Cheng-Gao continuation.
David Hawkes' translations include:
- Ch'u Tz'u: the Songs of the South, an Ancient Chinese Anthology. (1959, revised 1985)
- A Little Primer of Tu Fu. (1967)
- The Story of the Stone: a Chinese Novel in Five Volumes. (1973–1980. Hawkes was responsible for volumes 1–3, chapters 1-80)
- Liu Yi and the Dragon Princess. (Arias published in 2001, now to be published in entirety).
Other works include:
- The Story of the Stone: a Translator's Notebooks.
- Chinese: Classical Modern, and Humane
- Classical, Modern and Humane: Essays in Chinese Literature.
He is the father of Rachel May, and father-in-law of translator John Minford, who dedicated the book A Birthday Book for Brother Stone: For David Hawkes, at Eighty to him.
External links
- "David Hawkes, Scholar who led the way in Chinese studies and translated The Story of the Stone, The Guardian, August 25, 2009
- "David Hawkes: scholar and Chinese translator," The Times, August 28, 2009
- David Hawkes