Translating Early Modern China: Illegible Cities

The history of China is a story of translation, particularly between non-European languages and Latin during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Translating Early Modern China explores this translation process through the stories of individual translators and their contributions to shaping the Chinese language.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 08 June 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

The history of China, like any history, is a tale of translation. Translating Early Modern China delves into the captivating story of translation in China, spanning from the fourteenth to the nineteenth centuries, primarily during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Within each chapter, a remarkable translator from the past is brought to life to recount the tale of a text that played a pivotal role in shaping the history of translation in China. These texts, written in various languages such as Chinese, Mongolian, Manchu, Latin, and more, contributed to the evolution of the Chinese language throughout its rich tapestry. This volume takes a unique approach by incorporating fiction as a vital component of the historian's craft. Through a series of captivating stories, including tales of glossaries and official Ming translation bureaus, bilingual Ming Chinese-Mongolian language primers, the first Latin grammar of Manchu, a Qing Manchu conversation manual, and a collection of Manchu poems by a Qing translator, the book explores the multifaceted dimensions of language and translation in China's past. These case studies serve as a springboard for delving into questions about the use of fiction as a historical tool, the intricate interplay between language and translation, and the ways in which translation shapes and creates language. By examining these narratives, Translating Early Modern China offers a fresh perspective on the rich and complex history of China, shedding light on the profound impact of translation on the nation's cultural and linguistic development.

Weight: 406g
Dimension: 155 x 234 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198888154