John Minford
Encyclopedia
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
.
, UK, in 1946. Being the son of a diplomat, he had lived in many countries around the world before he attended Winchester College
in England to study Ancient Greek, Latin and classical literature.
He obtained first class honours in Chinese Literature from University of Oxford
and did his PhD at the Australian National University
.
and Chair Professor of Translation at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
.
. Hawkes was also Minford's tutor at University of Oxford.
The Story of the Stone
The Story of the Stone is a novel by Barry Hughart, first published in 1988. It is part of a series set in a version of ancient China that began with Bridge of Birds and continues with Eight Skilled Gentlemen...
and The Art of War
The Art of War
The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise that is attributed to Sun Tzu , a high ranking military general and strategist during the late Spring and Autumn period...
.
Early years and education
Professor John Minford was born in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, UK, in 1946. Being the son of a diplomat, he had lived in many countries around the world before he attended Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
in England to study Ancient Greek, Latin and classical literature.
He obtained first class honours in Chinese Literature from University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and did his PhD at the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
.
Career in the past
He held a number of teaching posts in mainland China, Hong Kong and New Zealand, including those of Chair Professor of Chinese at University of AucklandUniversity of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
and Chair Professor of Translation at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University specialises in professional education in Hong Kong. The University’s teaching units are grouped under six faculties and two schools; the Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, Faculty of Business, Faculty of Construction and Environment, Faculty of...
.
Current position
John Minford is currently chair professor of Translation Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.Marriage
Professor Minford is married to Rachel May, who is the daughter of noted Sinologist David HawkesDavid Hawkes (scholar)
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...
. Hawkes was also Minford's tutor at University of Oxford.
Main publications
- 1980 Miao Yüeh 繆越, “The Chinese Lyric 論詞”, in Soong ed., Song Without Music: Chinese Tz’u Poetry, Hong Kong, Chinese UP, 25-44
- 1982 Cao Xueqin 曹雪芹 & Gao E 高鶚, The Story of the Stone 紅樓夢, vol 4, The Debt of Tears. Penguin Classics & Indiana University Press, 400 pp.
- 1984 (with Stephen C. Soong 宋淇) Trees on the Mountain: An Anthology of New Chinese Writing, Chinese University Press, Hong Kong, 396 pp.
- 1986 (with Geremie Barmé) Seeds of Fire: Chinese Voices of Conscience 火種, Far Eastern Economic Review, Hong Kong, 347 pp.
- 1986 Cao Xueqin & Gao E, The Story of the Stone 紅樓夢, vol 5, The Dreamer Wakes. Penguin Classics & Indiana University Press, 385 pp.
- 1987(with Siu-kit Wong) Chinese: Classical, Modern and Humane - Collected Essays of David Hawkes, Hong Kong, Chinese University Press, 327 pp.
- 1987(with Pang Bingjun & Séan Golden)One Hundred Modern Chinese Poems 中國現代詩一百首. Commercial Press, Hong Kong, 348 pp.
- 1995 “Pieces of Eight: Reflections on Translating The Story of the Stone”, in Eoyang and Lin eds., Translating Chinese Literature, Indiana University Press, 178-203.
- 1997 Louis Cha (Jin Yong 金庸), The Deer and the Cauldron: A Martial Arts Novel 鹿鼎記, The First Book. Oxford University Press, Hong Kong, xxxiii & 475 pp.
- 1998 “The Chinese Garden: Death of a Symbol”, in Studies in the History of Gardens and Designed Landscapes (vol 18, no. 3), 257-268.
- 1999 “Death in Macau: In Defence of Orientalism”, in Günter Wohlfart et al. eds., Translation und Interpretation, Munich, Wilhelm Fink, 143-156.
- 1999 Louis Cha (Jin Yong 金庸), The Deer and the Cauldron: A Martial Arts Novel, The Second Book. Oxford University Press, Hong Kong, xxxi & 564 pp.
- 2000 (with Joseph S.M.Lau)Chinese Classical Literature: An Anthology of Translations. 1st vol, New York & Hong Kong, Columbia UP & Chinese UP, lix & 1176 pp. 2nd vol, forthcoming.
- 2002 Sunzi, The Art of War 孫子兵法. New York, Viking Books. Lvi & 325 pp. (subsequent paperback, Penguin Classics, 2003)
- 2002 Louis Cha (Jin Yong 金庸), The Deer and the Cauldron: A Martial Arts Novel, The Third Book. Oxford University Press, Hong Kong, xlix & 535 pp. With Rachel
- 2003 (with Rachel May)A Birthday Book for Brother Stone: For David Hawkes at Eighty. Chinese University Press, xi & 365 pp.
- 2005 Soong Hsun-leng 宋訓倫, The Fragrant Hermitage 馨菴詞稿. Twenty-nine Lyric Poems, translated from the Chinese, Taiwan, SKS. 5-86.
- 2006 Pu Songling 蒲松齡, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio 聊齋誌異, London, Penguin Classics, xxxviii + 562 pp. (including lengthy introduction, glossary and bibliography)
- 2007 (with Brian Holton and Agnes Hung-chong Chan) Leung Ping-kwan, Islands and Continents. Hong Kong University Press, xviii and 128 pp.
- 2008 (forthcoming)Thirty Classical Chinese Fables (Monte James, Beijing)
- The Book of Changes 周易: A New Translation (commissioned by Viking/Penguin Classics, New York, due end of 2008)
- Laozi, Daodejing 道德經: A New Translation (commissioned by Viking/Penguin Classics, New York, due end of 2010)