Episode

From Wittgenstein to Wenyanwen: Classical Reflections with Paola

Podcast
A Pebble in the Cosmic Pond
Published
Aug 30, 2025
Duration seconds
3239
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https://pebbleinthecosmicpond.com/episode/from-wittgenstein-to-wenyanwen-classical-reflections-with-paola
Audio
https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/c6aabe00-29a1-4345-b697-08b34b057c1c.mp3
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Summary

In this conversation, Leo and Sabine feature our friend Paola Campanelli, an international practitioner and graduate of Sabine's 2-year classical Chinese training program. Together, we explore Paola's journey from philosophy to sinology to Chinese medicine, from her native Italy to China and Taiwan and ultimately to her current home in southern Germany. We discuss Paola's challenges and insights gained through studying classical Chinese, in a range of topics as wide as Paola's life experience, from German philosophy to language acquisition and the importance of grammar, to poetry and the power of beauty and song... We also touch on the value of collaboration in translation and the potential for future projects in a collective of translators that has been Sabine's vision for her Triple Crown Classical Chinese training program. If you want to know about Leo's relationship to Italian opera, make sure you listen to the end for a cliff hanger that I personally cannot wait to find out more about. Additional Information Triple Crown Training Program — Translating Chinese Medicine - Dr. Wilms' 2-year training program in classical Chinese, starting every two years in September