William H. Nienhauser, Jr. is a world-renowned scholar of Chinese culture and an emeritus professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. With over sixty years of academic dedication, he has built a bridge between Chinese and Western cultures, illuminating the world with the brilliance of Shiji (The Records of the Grand Historian).

From a young age, Prof Nienhauser demonstrated a remarkable talent for languages. He began his journey at the US Army Language School, where he first studied Chinese. He later attended Indiana University, focusing on Chinese and Japanese languages, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and wrote his PhD dissertation entitled “An Interpretation of the Literary and Historical Aspects of the Hsi-ching Tsa-chi 西京雜記 (Miscellanies of the Western Capital).” His esteemed advisor was Prof Wu-chi Liu (柳無忌), a prominent figure in Chinese literature.

In 1973, he was appointed Assistant Professor of East Asian Languages and Literature at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he taught for decades. In 1995, he received the prestigious title of “Halls-Bascom Chair Professor,” which he held until his retirement in 2020. During his tenure, he served as chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Literature four times (1980-1982, 1987-1990, 2004, and 2012), showcasing his exceptional leadership in academia.

As a scholar, Prof Nienhauser has travelled extensively to teach and conduct research in cities such as Berlin, Bonn, Hamburg, Munich, Kyoto, Singapore, Beijing, Taipei, and most recently, Nanjing. He has received numerous research grants from prestigious institutions, including ACLS, NEH, the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, the Japan Foundation, and the German Research Foundation. In 2003, he was honoured with a lifetime achievement award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Prof Nienhauser is acclaimed for his outstanding translations of Chinese texts. In 1979, he founded the journal Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Review, which has gathered global scholarship on Chinese literature for over forty years. His multi-volume translations, including The Indiana Companion to Traditional Chinese Literature (1988) and the ongoing The Grand Scribe’s Records, have profoundly shaped the fields of Chinese literature and history. A tireless and committed scholar, he continues to work on translating The Grand Scribe’s Records to this day.

Today, as the world faces increasing divisions, Prof Nienhauser’s scholarship—characterised by its transdisciplinary, transcultural, and translingual dimensions—reminds us of our global connections and interdependencies. His work offers hope for a future where humanity can achieve greater harmony and unity.