Those who explain the Odes, may not insist on one term so as to do violence to a sentence, nor on a sentence so as to do violence to the general scope. They must try with their thoughts to meet that scope, and then we shall apprehend itChinese Classics
The Works of Mencius V Part 1 (1861)
James Legge’s credo as a translator
In 1829, James Legge left his Huntly birthplace as a missionary to the Far East. Believing that he had to understand those he sought to convert, he learned Chinese and began a lifelong study of the language and culture. Later, occupying the first chair of Sinology at Oxford, he published 20 monumental volumes of the Chinese Classics. Legge understood the sensitive nature of reinterpretation with his work opening routes of exchange that instigated early modern globalization. So, looking at our contemporary society, how has this process developed? What becomes lost in translation? How does cross-cultural dialogue allow each culture to enrich and contribute to one another?
Invite Card
Event E-flyer
James Legge Bibliography
Li-Space, Beijing
Photos on Flickr
James Legge Museum Project
