Sabine Wilms and the Challenges of Translating Classical Chinese | The 39 Gen Podcast

Join us on the Yo San University 39Gen podcast where Sean Trace chats with Sabine Wilms, Ph.D., about her adventure in translating Classical Chinese texts into English. Sabine takes us through the highs and lows of translating across wildly different cultures, time periods, and languages, all while sharing her love for a good challenge. She’s not just about the words on the page; Sabine is passionate about building a team of translators, teaching them the ropes, and making sure they stay true to the original texts while also making them relatable today. She talks about the responsibility of being a translator, the need to avoid personal bias, and her hope for her students to not just translate, but truly understand and appreciate the original Chinese texts. It’s a mix of respect for the past and adapting for the present, all through the lens of language.