Translating Ancient History: Kojiki and Nihon shoki 04.07.2026

Tuesday, April 7 
4:00-5:30pm
Ketchum 1B87

The Nihon shoki (720) is one of the foundational texts for the study of early Japan, a court-sponsored chronicle that stretches from the creation of the archipelago during the Age of the Gods to the late eighth century. This talk introduces a new annotated translation of the first half of the work, covering the narrative from the mythological age through the reign of Emperor Buretsu. Designed with extensive annotation, maps, and an interpretive introduction, the translation seeks to make the chronicle accessible to modern readers while preserving the historiographical complexity of the original. The talk focuses on the methodological challenges of translating the Nihon shoki, a text written in classical Chinese but usually read in vernacular Japanese, and that incorporates mythic narrative, court historiography, and material copied almost directly from continental sources. Through selected case studies, I examine how specific translation problems—ranging from syntactic ambiguity to culturally embedded terminology—require interpretive decisions that shape how readers understand early Japanese history and myth. These examples illustrate broader methodological questions about translating classical East Asian texts and about how translation itself mediates our understanding of early Japan. Finally, I discuss the role of annotation and the practical realities of academic publication, exploring how editorial and production constraints influence the form and scope of the annotations that readers ultimately encounter.

Speaker: Matthieu Felt, University of Florida

Co-Sponsored by Asian Languages and Civilizations and the Center for Asian Studies.