Professor John Minford on The Stone’s Journey to the West: A Translator’s View

28 April 2018

Professor John Minford, Sin Wai Kin Distinguished Professor of Chinese Culture and Translation, made his third visit to HSMC in two years to deliver public lectures in the culture and translation series. A world-renowned sinologist, Professor Minford has translated various Chinese classics such as The Story of the Stone (with David Hawkes), The Art of War, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, The Deer and the Cauldron and I Ching (his latest work).

The lectures, taken place on four Saturdays in April, each attracted a large audience of his former students, his followers and the general public. Professor Minford started the series with a presentation of the cultural and historical ambience of the East and the West when The Story of the Stone was written. He shared many little stories of his life from adolescence to early adulthood and illustrated how those experiences facilitated his understanding of The Story of the Stone. The lecture series ended with a showcase of Hawkes’s ingenuity in using various expressions in the translation, all originating from his profound readings of western literature.

The School of Translation would like to thank the Sin Wai Kin Chinese Culture Promotion Scheme once again for the generous support lent to its initiative to promote the translation of Chinese classics.

Professor John Minford visited the School of Translation again and presented public lectures in the culture and translation series.

Professor John Minford visited the School of Translation again and presented public lectures in the culture and translation series.

The public lecture series warmed up the peaceful campus on four weekends.

The public lecture series warmed up the peaceful campus on four weekends.