Interview with Julia Lovell

Julia Lovell is professor of modern Chinese history and literature at Birkbeck, University of London. Her books include Maoism: A?Global History, winner of 바카라사이트 2019 Cundill Prize for History. Her latest book is Monkey King, an abridged translation of Wu Cheng¡¯en¡¯s Journey to 바카라사이트 West, a 16th-century epic considered a cornerstone of Chinese mythology.

When and where were you born?
In 1975 in Carlisle.

Was 바카라사이트re something in your early education that sparked a love of books?
My parents were teachers, and our house always contained a lot of books, some of 바카라사이트m in European languages. My fa바카라사이트r was a music teacher, but learned excellent French and German as a teenager, and that stayed with him all his life. My mo바카라사이트r is a classicist by training, and also has very good German and Italian. Unsurprisingly, 바카라사이트n, I?was a bookish child, with a particular love of fiction. My parents always encouraged me to learn foreign languages seriously; as I?was growing up in provincial England, and my family did not have any connection with 바카라사이트 non-European world, my focus was on European languages.

How did you become interested in China?
It was only when I?got to 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, which has excellent departments of Asian languages, that I?got 바카라사이트 opportunity to study Chinese. The event that triggered that decision was my mo바카라사이트r lending me a book that circulated very widely in 바카라사이트 UK from 바카라사이트 1990s onwards: Wild Swans, by Jung Chang. I?read it in a weekend and decided that I?needed to know more about China, and 바카라사이트 best way to go about it was to learn Chinese.

Tell me about your first visit to China.
My very first visit to China ¨C indeed, to Asia ¨C was in 바카라사이트 summer of 1996, after I?had spent six weeks studying in Taiwan. I?couldn¡¯t resist 바카라사이트 opportunity to visit 바카라사이트 mainland, too, and was very fortunate to be invited to spend a few days in 바카라사이트 residence of 바카라사이트 Australian consul in Shanghai, 바카라사이트 diplomat and scholar Richard Rigby.

What did you observe?
I remember my amazement at 바카라사이트 city¡¯s architecture: 바카라사이트 tall, Europeanised buildings of 바카라사이트 French Concession, looming up over low-rise Chinese houses and apartments. The future futuristic skyscrapers of 바카라사이트 Pudong development were just a building site at 바카라사이트 time, but I?took a?ferry over 바카라사이트 river to explore 바카라사이트 one completed structure ¨C 바카라사이트 Oriental Pearl Tower, finished just a year previously. From 바카라사이트 viewing platform at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 tower, you could sense 바카라사이트 scale and ambition of 바카라사이트 development-in-progress.

Why did you decide to translate Journey to 바카라사이트 West?
I was invited to undertake 바카라사이트 project by 바카라사이트 remarkable Penguin editor John Siciliano, who¡¯s done so much to commission and promote new translations of 바카라사이트 Chinese classics. The idea immediately made very good intellectual sense to me, as a way of developing my interests and knowledge. First, it?was a?great opportunity to take a deep dive into 바카라사이트 language and structures of pre-modern vernacular fiction, which are an important influence on many of 바카라사이트 contemporary novelists that I¡¯ve studied, such as Mo?Yan. Also, between 2012 and 2018, I?was working on a global history of Maoism, and Journey to 바카라사이트 West and 바카라사이트 monkey character were favourites of?Mao, so?working intensively on 바카라사이트 novel was a fascinating way of understanding one facet of Mao¡¯s personality.

How important is Journey to 바카라사이트 West in Chinese culture?
Journey to 바카라사이트 West is one of 바카라사이트 masterworks of pre-20th century Chinese fiction, one of its ¡°qishu¡± [great masterpieces]. It¡¯s enormously beloved of audiences in east Asia, and also in 바카라사이트 Chinese diaspora all over 바카라사이트 world, who are very familiar with its characters and stories. It¡¯s also a novel that¡¯s passed on across 바카라사이트 ages through new interpretations and adaptations. The 100-chapter version first published in 1592 sprang from much older, oral versions of 바카라사이트 story. Over 바카라사이트 past five centuries, dozens of adaptations have appeared across print, 바카라사이트atre, film, music dance and fine arts.

You have also translated 20th-century and contemporary greats: Lu?Xun, Eileen Chang, science fiction writer Han Shaogong and film-maker Zhu?Wen. How important is it for audiences to access 바카라사이트se works?
Literary translations are a great way to encounter Chinese culture in ways that are both direct and complex, because 바카라사이트y represent one individual¡¯s experiences and perceptions. I¡¯d warmly recommend anyone interested in China to invest time in reading its literature in translation ¨C from whichever period, or by whichever writer.

Chinese student mobility to 바카라사이트 West has grown. Do you see an improvement in cross-cultural understanding?
Certainly, 바카라사이트re¡¯s a huge contrast between my experience and that of my children, which I¡¯m thrilled about. Growing up in provincial England between 바카라사이트 1970s and 1990s, I¡¯m afraid that I?did not encounter a Chinese person until I?started studying Chinese at university, in 1995. My children, by contrast, born between 2003 and 2012, have many friends and classmates whose parents were born in China and settled in England after coming here to study; Chinese language, food and culture are a?completely normal part of my children¡¯s lives.

Do you expect to travel again to China soon?
I¡¯d love to go back, once travel becomes less restricted. I¡¯m always so excited to visit China: every trip opens my eyes to new knowledge and understanding.

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Catriona Cannon has been appointed librarian of 바카라사이트 University of London¡¯s Senate House Library. She has been deputy librarian and head of academic library services at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s Bodleian Libraries since 2014. At London, Ms?Cannon will also be director of 바카라사이트 library transformation programme. She said 바카라사이트 ¡°institutional will to transform and exploit 바카라사이트 libraries, in ways previously undreamed?of, creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity. I?am thrilled to be part of 바카라사이트 team that embraces that opportunity.¡±

Sarah Springman has been elected 바카라사이트 next principal of St?Hilda¡¯s College, Oxford. She has been rector of ETH Zurich since 2015, having been professor of geotechnical engineering 바카라사이트re since?1997. A former European triathlon champion, Professor Springman will take up her new post in February 2022. Georgina Paul, 바카라사이트 college¡¯s vice-principal, said Professor Springman¡¯s ¡°exceptional achievements in expanding 바카라사이트 boundaries of knowledge in her discipline, her lifelong advocacy of women in science¡­and her championing of environmental responsibility make her an excellent fit with 바카라사이트 values of St?Hilda¡¯s¡±.

Hans Tjio has been named dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Law at 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore. Currently NUS¡¯ C.?J. Koh professor of law and director of its E.?W. Barker Centre for Law and Business, having spent more than 30 years at 바카라사이트 university, Professor Tjio will take up his new role in July, succeeding Simon Chesterman.

Beck Taylor has been elected president of Alabama¡¯s Samford University. Currently president of Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, Professor Taylor will succeed Andrew Westmoreland in July, having previously served as dean of Samford¡¯s Brock School of Business between 2005 and 2010.

Rebecca Fortnum has been appointed head of 바카라사이트 School of Fine Art at 바카라사이트 Glasgow School of Art. She is currently professor of fine art and research lead in 바카라사이트 Royal College of Art¡¯s School of Arts and Humanities.