What are the situations of the translating of the Twenty-Four Histories?
Which ones are translatede and which ones are not?
Answer me please!!!
Full Version: Translations of the Twenty-Four Histories
This must be the fourth or fifth time this question came up on CHF - which does show that there is a market for these English translations 
Several parts of the Shiji have been translated by Burton Watson and published as Records of the Grand Historian. Most of the Xin Wudai Shi (New History of the Five Dynasties) was translated by Richard Davis a few years ago. Other published translations from the histories are fairly piecemeal - a chapter here, a biography there - and focused on particular topics (e.g. astronomy, economics, military) or personalities.
Several parts of the Shiji have been translated by Burton Watson and published as Records of the Grand Historian. Most of the Xin Wudai Shi (New History of the Five Dynasties) was translated by Richard Davis a few years ago. Other published translations from the histories are fairly piecemeal - a chapter here, a biography there - and focused on particular topics (e.g. astronomy, economics, military) or personalities.
For the Shiji :
There is a complete translation into Russian. In French, the 52 first chapters were translated by Chavannes, between 1895 and 1905, and there are a few more in isolated books. Pierre Ryckmans mentioned on several occasions that he was working on the biographies (ie the rest), which would provide a complete translation.
In english, Burton Watson has translated about 70 chapters (all those dealing with the Qin and Han, and a few more from the Warring States), Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang have translated about 30, twelve of which are not in Watson. The Indiana University press is now publishing a 9 volume complete translation, under direction of William Nienhauser. So far, volumes 1 and 2 (12 benjis), 5.1 (10 first shijia) and 7 (25 first biographies or so) have been published.
I am also told that the Foreign Language Press, in Beijing, have a full translation in preparation (but they are known for these kinds of big claims).
So I'd say, the Shiji will probably have several complete translations available within a couple of years.
For the Hanshu, about 30 chapters (out of 100) have been translated. Notably the 12 benji by Homer Dubs (betwee 1938 and 1955)and about 15 more by Watson, Hulsewe, and others. I don't think there ever was a coordinated effort to translate large parts of it.
The Houhanshu is even less translated. Apart for a few famous chapters (mostly dealing with foreign lands), all we have are really bits and pieces.
The Sanguozhi has no complete translation, but lots of chapters have been done, by academic and amateurs. I would say it should be on par with the Hanshu, with between one third and one half being done. However, as it is a very popular era and a relatively small book, chances are we'll see a translation at some point (not necessarily a good one though, many of the current versions are very amateurish).
Francois
There is a complete translation into Russian. In French, the 52 first chapters were translated by Chavannes, between 1895 and 1905, and there are a few more in isolated books. Pierre Ryckmans mentioned on several occasions that he was working on the biographies (ie the rest), which would provide a complete translation.
In english, Burton Watson has translated about 70 chapters (all those dealing with the Qin and Han, and a few more from the Warring States), Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang have translated about 30, twelve of which are not in Watson. The Indiana University press is now publishing a 9 volume complete translation, under direction of William Nienhauser. So far, volumes 1 and 2 (12 benjis), 5.1 (10 first shijia) and 7 (25 first biographies or so) have been published.
I am also told that the Foreign Language Press, in Beijing, have a full translation in preparation (but they are known for these kinds of big claims).
So I'd say, the Shiji will probably have several complete translations available within a couple of years.
For the Hanshu, about 30 chapters (out of 100) have been translated. Notably the 12 benji by Homer Dubs (betwee 1938 and 1955)and about 15 more by Watson, Hulsewe, and others. I don't think there ever was a coordinated effort to translate large parts of it.
The Houhanshu is even less translated. Apart for a few famous chapters (mostly dealing with foreign lands), all we have are really bits and pieces.
The Sanguozhi has no complete translation, but lots of chapters have been done, by academic and amateurs. I would say it should be on par with the Hanshu, with between one third and one half being done. However, as it is a very popular era and a relatively small book, chances are we'll see a translation at some point (not necessarily a good one though, many of the current versions are very amateurish).
Francois
Hi, I think Dagvadorj is interested in Yuan Shi in particular and then some of the other 24 Shi.
Thanks Francois, I wasn't aware of the Indiana University project, or of the Dubs translations of the Hanshu benji for that matter.
Translation work on the 'Three Kingdoms' era is a rather strange case. Rafe de Crespigny has translated the Zizhi Tongjian narrative for the period from the 190s civil wars up to the founding of the Wu imperial state (i.e. 222), while Achilles Fang has translated the Zizhi Tongjian account of the years 220-265 into two volumes. Details at http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index.php...p;#entry4928596 for those who have yet to read that thread.
Yet no professional scholar has attempted to do a full translation for even one of the three parts (i.e. Wei, Shu[-Han], and Wu) of Sanguo Zhi along with the very important Pei Songzhi commentary, despite these being the source for almost the entire Zizhi Tongjian account. It seems the translators decided the Zizhi Tongjian was more interesting, since it was organized in chronological order and focused on events, rather than split into many biographies in which the same story was often retold from different perspectives.
QUOTE
The Sanguozhi has no complete translation, but lots of chapters have been done, by academic and amateurs. I would say it should be on par with the Hanshu, with between one third and one half being done. However, as it is a very popular era and a relatively small book, chances are we'll see a translation at some point (not necessarily a good one though, many of the current versions are very amateurish).
Translation work on the 'Three Kingdoms' era is a rather strange case. Rafe de Crespigny has translated the Zizhi Tongjian narrative for the period from the 190s civil wars up to the founding of the Wu imperial state (i.e. 222), while Achilles Fang has translated the Zizhi Tongjian account of the years 220-265 into two volumes. Details at http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index.php...p;#entry4928596 for those who have yet to read that thread.
Yet no professional scholar has attempted to do a full translation for even one of the three parts (i.e. Wei, Shu[-Han], and Wu) of Sanguo Zhi along with the very important Pei Songzhi commentary, despite these being the source for almost the entire Zizhi Tongjian account. It seems the translators decided the Zizhi Tongjian was more interesting, since it was organized in chronological order and focused on events, rather than split into many biographies in which the same story was often retold from different perspectives.
QUOTE (Yun @ Mar 12 2008, 10:37 PM) 
Thanks Francois, I wasn't aware of the Indiana University project, or of the Dubs translations of the Hanshu benji for that matter.
Hi Yun,
Actually, you can find an online copy of the translation here
http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu:8080...oc.lang=english
and some more stuff, including a very interesting paper on the translations of titles...
http://e-asia.uoregon.edu/homer/
(btw, the e-asia website is a treasure trove...
Many Crespigny translations can be found on his webpage
http://asianstudies.anu.edu.au/Early_Imperial_China
Francois
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