Sidney Shapiro
Encyclopedia
Sidney Shapiro (born December 23, 1915) is an American
-born author and translator who has lived in China
since 1947. Born in Brooklyn
, New York
, he is of Jewish ethnicity. He resides in Beijing
, and is a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Council
. He is one of very few naturalized citizens of the PRC.
which ostensibly provides a forum for input from non-Communist political organizations.
, when he was serving in the United States armed forces. He was chosen to learn Chinese by the United States Army
in preparation for a possible American landing in Japan
ese-occupied China
. After attaining a law degree
in the US, he went to China, arriving in Shanghai
in 1947. There, he met his future wife, an actress named Fengzi (Phoenix), who was a supporter of the Communist Party of China
prior to its ascent to power. Beginning in the Cultural Revolution
, she spent 10 years under house arrest for her opposition to Mao's wife, Jiang Qing
. She later became one of the most prominent drama critics in the People's Republic.
For nearly 50 years, he was employed by the state-run
Foreign Languages Press
(FLP) as a translator of works of Chinese literature. He is most well known for his highly-regarded English version of The Outlaws of the Marsh, one of the most important classics of Chinese literature. FLP recently reissued Shapiro's translation as part of a bilingual collection called Library of Chinese Classics.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-born author and translator who has lived in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
since 1947. Born in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, he is of Jewish ethnicity. He resides in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, and is a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Council
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference [], shortened as 人民政协, Rénmín Zhèngxié, i.e. "People's PCC"; or just 政协, Zhèngxié, i.e. "The PCC"), abbreviated CPPCC, is a political advisory body in the People's Republic of China...
. He is one of very few naturalized citizens of the PRC.
Nationality
Shapiro has held citizenship of the People's Republic of China since 1963, before the Cultural Revolution. He is a member of the People's Political Consultative Conference, a governmental assembly of the PRCPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
which ostensibly provides a forum for input from non-Communist political organizations.
Personal history
Shapiro's connections with China began during the World War IIWorld 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...
, when he was serving in the United States armed forces. He was chosen to learn Chinese by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in preparation for a possible American landing in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese-occupied China
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
. After attaining a law degree
Law degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
in the US, he went to China, arriving in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
in 1947. There, he met his future wife, an actress named Fengzi (Phoenix), who was a supporter of the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
prior to its ascent to power. Beginning in the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
, she spent 10 years under house arrest for her opposition to Mao's wife, Jiang Qing
Jiang Qing
Jiang Qing was the pseudonym that was used by Chinese leader Mao Zedong's last wife and major Communist Party of China power figure. She went by the stage name Lan Ping during her acting career, and was known by various other names during her life...
. She later became one of the most prominent drama critics in the People's Republic.
For nearly 50 years, he was employed by the state-run
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
Foreign Languages Press
Foreign Languages Press
The name Foreign Languages Press was given to two publishing houses, respectively in the Soviet Union and in the People's Republic of China.-Moscow Foreign Languages Press:...
(FLP) as a translator of works of Chinese literature. He is most well known for his highly-regarded English version of The Outlaws of the Marsh, one of the most important classics of Chinese literature. FLP recently reissued Shapiro's translation as part of a bilingual collection called Library of Chinese Classics.
Works
- Jews in Old China - Studies by Chinese Scholars, a comprehensive collection of translationTranslationTranslation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
s of papers by Chinese scholars about the ancient Kaifeng JewsKaifeng JewsThe Kaifeng Jews are members of a small Jewish community that has existed in Kaifeng, in the Henan province of China, for hundreds of years. Jews in modern China have traditionally called themselves Youtai in Mandarin Chinese which is also the predominant contemporary Chinese language term for...
and other Jewish papers by various Chinese scholars, and papers on Jewish-Chinese interaction - 1997: My China: The Metamorphosis of a Country and a Man, previously available mainly in China, has been reissued as "I Chose China" (Hippocrene BooksHippocrene BooksHippocrene Books is a US publishing press located at 171 Madison Avenue, New York City, NY 10016.Hippocrene specializes in books on folklore, ethnic cookbooks , translations of classic literature, and foreign-language reference works...
)
Translations
- Shi Nai'an, Outlaws of the Marsh
- Ba JinBa JinLi Yaotang , courtesy name Feigan , is considered to be one of the most important and widely-read Chinese writers of the 20th century. He wrote under the pen name of Ba Jin , Pa Chin, Li Fei-Kan, Li Pei-Kan, Pa Kin, allegedly taking his pseudonym from Russian anarchists Bakunin and Kropotkin...
, The FamilyFamily (novel)The Family is an autobiographical novel by Chinese author Ba Jin. It tells the story of an upper-class family in the city of Chengdu in the early 1920s. The novel was first serialized in 1931-2 and then released in a single volume in 1933...
(1933) - Mao DunMao DunMao Dun was the pen name of Shen Dehong , a 20th century Chinese novelist, cultural critic, and journalist. He was also the Minister of Culture of China from 1949 to 1965. He is currently renowned as one of the best realist novelists in the history of modern China...
, The Shop of the Lin Family & Spring Silkworms - Deng Rong "Deng Xiaoping and the Cultural Revolution -- a Daughter Recalls the Critical Years".
See also
- Sidney RittenbergSidney RittenbergSidney Rittenberg is an American journalist, interpreter and scholar who lived in China from 1944 to 1979. He worked closely with People's Republic of China founder Mao Zedong, military leader Zhu De, statesman Zhou Enlai, and other leaders of the Chinese Communist Party during the war, and was...
- Jews of Kaifeng
- History of the Jews in ChinaHistory of the Jews in ChinaJews and Judaism in China have had a long history. Jewish settlers are documented in China as early as the 7th or 8th century CE, but may have arrived during the mid Han Dynasty, or even as early as 231 BCE. Relatively isolated communities developed through the Tang and Song Dynasties Jews and...
- Rewi AlleyRewi AlleyRewi Alley, 路易•艾黎, Lùyì Àilí, QSO, , was a New Zealand-born writer, educator, social reformer, potter, and member of the Communist Party of China....
- Israel EpsteinIsrael EpsteinIsrael Epstein was a naturalized Chinese journalist and author...