The Perils of Interpreting

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An impressive new history of China's relations with the West is told through the lives of two interpreters involved in the Macartney embassy of 1793. This British mission, often seen as a clash of cultures due to the East's disinterest in the West, is reexamined by Henrietta Harrison, who shifts focus to interpreters Li Zibiao and George Thomas Staunton. Their roles in the exchanges at this pivotal meeting reveal much about the dynamics of the time. Harrison explores their backgrounds, the interventions they made, and the implications of these interactions on their lives. She highlights that some Chinese were familiar with Western culture, yet tensions grew, ultimately leading to the Opium Wars. The Qing court's ignorance about the British was not accidental but a result of suppressing cultural intermediaries like Li and Staunton. Li's experience as Macartney's interpreter and the pressures he faced in China are detailed, alongside Staunton's successful interpretation for the British East India Company in Canton, which ended with his flight to England amid rising Chinese resentment. Harrison argues that by silencing knowledgeable voices, the Qing missed a chance to understand Britain better, potentially averting conflict. This examination of two overlooked figures emphasizes the importance of cross-cultural understanding in our interconnected world.