Esther Tyldesley is an academic based in the School of Literature, Languages and Cultures at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

, where she is a professor in Asian Studies. She has also translated Chinese literature, as well language textbooks and translated academic articles for various journalists. In addition to this, she is also a member of the Society of Authors.

Biography

Academic career

Tyldesley undertook her BA at the

Robinson College Robinson College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1977, it is one of the newest Oxbridge colleges and is unique in having been intended, from its inception, for both undergraduate and graduate students of b ...

;

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

, where she studied Chinese from 1990 to 1994. She went on to do an MA in applied translation studies at the

University of Leeds , mottoeng = And knowledge will be increased , established = 1831 – Leeds School of Medicine1874 – Yorkshire College of Science1884 - Yorkshire College1887 – affiliated to the federal Victoria University1904 – University of Leeds , ...

from 2001 to 2003. She has been a teaching fellow in Chinese and English at the University of Edinburgh since 2004. She was previously a teaching assistant at

Newcastle University Newcastle University (legally the University of Newcastle upon Tyne) is a UK public university, public research university based in Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England. It has overseas campuses in Singapore and Malaysia. The university is ...

from 2002 to 2004. She also spent four years working for a rural teacher's college for voluntary overseas observers in

Guizhou Province Guizhou (; formerly Kweichow) is a landlocked province in the southwest region of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Guiyang, in the center of the province. Guizhou borders the autonomous region of Guangxi to the ...

, China.

Translation career

Tyldesley specialises in Chinese-to-English translations, primarily in the literature field. Her notable translations include '' The Good Women of China''; which has since been translated into various languages and serialised as an audio drama for BBC Radio 4's ''

Woman's Hour ''Woman's Hour'' is a radio magazine programme broadcast in the United Kingdom on the BBC Light Programme, BBC Radio 2, and later BBC Radio 4. It has been on the air since 1946. History Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by A ...

'', Yan Geling's ''Little Aunt Crane''; where her translation was praised for: "flowing naturally while remaining faithful to the original, allowing the flavour of Yan's language to shine through" - the novel was also awarded a grant by the Chinese Society of Authors, and Laing Hong's ''The Sacred Clan''; winner of the PEN Translates Award in December 2021. Her translation of Yan Lianke's "China's Caged Birds" in ''The Freedom Papers'' (Gutter Magazine 2018), was one of the books read on BBC Radio 4's "

Book of the Week ''Book of the Week'' is a BBC Radio 4 series that is broadcast daily on week days. Each week, extracts from the selected book, usually a non-fiction work, are read over five episodes; each fifteen-minute episode is broadcast in the morning (9:45a ...

" programme. Other notable works include ''Sky Burial'' and ''Miss Chopsticks''. Tydesley has also translated language textbooks, academic articles for various journalists, and contributed to translations in the HarperCollins Pocket Chinese-English dictionary.

Personal life

Tyldesley lives in Edinburgh with her Chinese Husband.

List of published translations (Chinese to English)

Novels

* Xinran, ''The Good Women of China'' (2002) * Xinran, ''Sky Burial'' (2004) * Xinran, ''Miss Chopsticks'' (2007) * Xinran, ''China Witness'' (2008) * Yu Dan, ''Confucius from the Heart'' (2009) * Xinran, ''Buy Me the Sky'' (2015) * Yan Geling, ''Little Aunt Crane'' (2015) * Chen Danyan, ''The Day of Wandering Thoughts'' (2020)

Articles

* Yan Lianke, “China’s Caged Birds” in ''The Freedom Papers'' (Gutter Magazine 2018)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tyldesley, Esther Living people Alumni of the University of Leeds Academics of Newcastle University Year of birth missing (living people)