i, boys and girls, have met a translator of shakespeare into chinese! -- prof zhang chong, from nanjing university, who's spent the last ten years working as part of a team on the newest chinese edition of a complete shakespeare. (it's in 12 volumes and came out in 2000, published by hebei jiaoyu chubanshe - he translated 4 plays - which ones, i didn't get a chance to ask.) he's in singapore for two weeks to give an information session on the nanjing university specialist diploma in translation, and also here to teach a translation for science, social science and law paper. (i got permission to sit in on one of his classes today) it seems that all existing chinese translations of shakespeare has been into prose, but this new edition is in a mixture of prose and poetry, modelled as closely as possible on the original. where shakespeare has blank verse they imitate the pentameter by breaking a line into 5 character groups; where he rhymes, the chinese also rhymes, etc. that is impressive!! i will try to get hold of the books if i'm in china anytime soon. this also reminds me of the beida professor who translated spenser into verse. i wonder if this is a new trend in translation in the chinese world these days. more anon.