Christopher Payne

Biography

Dr. Payne's background is in East Asian Studies, with a particular focus on cultural production from the People's Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan, and Hong Kong. He received his BA in History/East Asian Studies from Saint Mary's University in Halifax, then spent the next two years living and studying in Taiwan. In 2002, he completed an MA in East Asian Studies at McGill University, and then spent the next four years living, studying and working in East Asia, mostly in Seoul, South Korea, as well as some time spent in southern China near Macau and Hong Kong. In 2010, Dr. Payne completed a PhD at SOAS, University of London, and shortly thereafter was appointed to the Academy of East Asian Studies at Sungkyunkwan University (Seoul, South Korea). In the autumn of 2013, he joined The University of Manchester where he spent six years, the last three as Programme Director. His work can be found in such prestigious journals as Modern Chinese Literature and Culture and Positions: Asia Critique. He has four published translations, two novels by Mai Jia 麦家 (published by Penguin), one by Jiang Zilong 蒋子龙 (published by ACA), and Distant Sunflower Fields 《遥远的向日葵地》by Li Juan 李娟 (published by Sinoist Books). One further translation is due out soon: The Mountain Whisperer 《老生》by Jia Pingwa 贾平凹 (also with Sinoist Books).

Publications