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by Olivia Anna Rovsing Milburn (Translator), Olivia Anna Rovsing Milburn (Introduction by), Olivia Anna Rovsing Milburn (Essay by)
An approachable and readable translation of a classic work of Chinese literature and landmark work of non-Western fiction writing.
A Tale of Two Kingdoms offers a highly readable translation of the earliest surviving novel written in the Chinese language, Wu Yue chunqiu (The Spring and Autumn Annals of the Kingdoms of Wu and Yue). Composed nearly two millennia ago and featuring some of the most famous characters in Chinese literature, this powerful saga of humiliation, violence, and revenge recounts the battles between the states of Wu and Yue during the Spring and Autumn period (770-481 BCE). In her detailed introduction and annotations, translator Olivia Milburn places the work in its historical and cultural context and explains its ongoing significance in the history of fiction writing in East Asia, making the case that this was, in fact, China's first novel. This approachable translation by one of the leading scholars in the field makes this key text available to specialist and nonspecialist readers alike.
Author Biography
Olivia Milburn is Professor in the School of Chinese at Hong Kong University. She is the author of The Empress in the Pepper Chamber: Zhao Feiyan in History and Fiction and Urbanization in Early and Medieval China: Gazetteers for the City of Suzhou. Her previous translations include Kingdoms in Peril, by Feng Menglong; The Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Yan; and The Glory of Yue: An Annotated Translation of the Yuejue shu.
