Li Jianwu

Li Jianwu (Chinese: 李健吾; pinyin: Lǐ Jiànwú; 17 August 1906 - 24 November 1982) was a Chinese author, dramatist and translator who was the president of French Literature Research Council. Li was an officer of the Chinese State Council and a member of National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

He was most notable for being one of the main translators into Chinese of the works of the French novelists Gustave Flaubert and Stendhal.

Li was born in a wealthy family in Yuncheng County, Shanxi in 1906, his father, Li Mingfeng (Chinese: 李鸣凤), was a warlord of Qing Empire.

After the downfall of Yuan Shih-kai Administration, Li moved to Beijing with his family, he studied at Beijing Normal University Elementary School (Chinese: 北京师范大学附属小学).

At the age of 13, his father Li Mingfeng was killed by Anhui clique General Chen Shufan (Chinese: 陈树藩).

Li attended The High School Affiliated to Beijing Normal University in 1921, at the same time, he started to publish works, he made acquaintance with Wang Tongzhao (Chinese: 王统照).

In 1925, Li was put under house arrest for his opposition to Minister Ma Junwu.

Li entered Tsinghua University in 1925, majoring in Western languages.

In 1931, Li studied at University of Paris, after graduating in 1933 he taught at Jinan University.

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Li moved to the French Concession to escape the violence, he made acquaintance with Zheng Zhenduo, A Ying and Xia Yan.

After the founding of the PRC, Li worked as a researcher in Peking University and Chinese Academy of Sciences.

• Memoirs of a Madman (Gustave Flaubert)
• Sentimental Education (Gustave Flaubert)
• Dictionary of Received Ideas (Gustave Flaubert)
• Madame Bovary (Gustave Flaubert) (Chinese: 《包法利夫人》)
• Italian Chroniques (Stendhal) (Chinese: 《意大利遗事》)
• Armance (Stendhal)
• The Red and the Black (Stendhal)
• Lucien Leuwen (Stendhal)
• The Charterhouse of Parma (Stendhal)