Old Kiln

Jia Pingwa began his life as a published author in 1980 and published his first novel in 1986. His 1993 novel Ruined City was banned for explicit content and became one of the most pirated books in modern Chinese literature. Jia Pingwa went on to publish a further 11 novels and has won multiple literary prizes. Christopher Payne has co-translated the award-winning novels Decoded and In the Dark by Mai Jia, and along with his frequent collaborator, Olivia Milburn, he’s also brought Jiang Zilong’s magnum opus, Empires of Dust, to an English-language audience. Christopher holds a PhD in Chinese literature from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, and he has spent more than a decade teaching at postsecondary institutions, most notably Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, South Korea, and The University of Manchester in the UK. In 2020 he took up a position at the University of Toronto, where he has continued to champion Chinese literature in the English-speaking world. Olivia Milburn is professor of Chinese language and literature at Seoul National University. In 2018, Milburn’s translation work was recognised by the Chinese government with a Special Book Award of China, which honours contributions to bridging cultures and fostering understanding. James Trapp has published China-related books on language, astrology, science and technology. As well as new versions of the Art of War and Daodejing, his translations include Shadow of the Hunter and Longevity Park. Much of his work revolves around integrating the study of Chinese language and culture, and breaking down barriers of cultural misunderstanding that still persist.