Paul Gardner
I am currently doing a PhD on the Chinese media and social media at the University of Glasgow and learning Mandarin. I am also a public relations consultant. Previously I have been a political journalist at the BBC and a political adviser. I started reading Chinese literature as a way of trying to get a better understanding of the country. I have read translations of three of the four classics and a wide range of Chinese novels written in the last century. I have not yet got to the point where I can read these books in Chinese! During my studies I have had the opportunity to visit China several times. The more I learn about China, the more I appreciate Chinese culture and this beautiful, extraordinary country.