Ma Author & Editor

Ma Pinglai was born in Beijing in 1953. On leaving school aged 16, he spent six years in the military in Inner Mongolia. Today he is one of China’s most acclaimed authors and a member of the Beijing Writers’ Association. The Elm Tree won the prestigious Lao She Literary Award for Outstanding Long-form Novels in 2014. James Trapp has had a long career promoting Chinese language and culture in UK schools. As well as new versions of the Art of War and Daodejing, his translations include Shadow of the Hunter, Longevity Park and Old Kiln. Much of his work revolves around integrating the study of Chinese language and culture, and breaking down barriers of cultural misunderstanding that still persist.