Denis Twitchett facts for kids

Denis Crispin Twitchett (born September 23, 1925 – died February 24, 2006) was a British expert on China. He was a historian who studied Chinese history, language, and culture. He is best known for helping to create The Cambridge History of China, a huge collection of books about China's past.

About Denis Twitchett

Denis Twitchett was born in London, England. His father was an architectural draughtsman, someone who draws building plans. Denis went to Isleworth County Grammar School.

World War II Service

During World War II, Denis learned Japanese very quickly. He then worked at Bletchley Park, a secret British code-breaking center. He was a listener at a special station in Sri Lanka. His job was to listen to Japanese communications. He also spent time in Japan and learned from top Japanese historians. They often focused on the Tang Dynasty, which later became his own area of study.

Education and Career

After the war, Denis studied Modern Chinese at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. He had won a scholarship to study Geography earlier. In 1950, he graduated from St Catharine's College, Cambridge with a top degree in Oriental Studies.

He taught at the University of London and Cambridge. Later, he became a professor of Chinese studies at both universities. From 1980 to 1994, he was a professor at Princeton University in the United States. He helped Chinese studies become much more important in Western countries.

In 1956, he married Umeko Ichikawa. They had two children together.

The Cambridge History of China Project

Starting in 1966, Professor Twitchett and American historian John K. Fairbank began a big project. They planned to write the first complete history of China in English. This collection of books is called The Cambridge History of China.

Building a Comprehensive History

The project was first planned to be six books. But as they worked, it grew much larger. It is now planned to have 15 volumes! While at Princeton, Twitchett worked closely with another China expert, Frederick W. Mote.

They invited the most respected historians to write chapters for the books. This series is highly respected and is seen as a very reliable history of China. Denis Twitchett wrote many parts himself. He also guided the entire series from the very beginning until he passed away.

Ancient China History

Twitchett decided not to write about China before the Qin dynasty at first. He felt there was still much to learn about that ancient time. Later, in 1999, a related book was published. It was called The Cambridge History of Ancient China, From the Origins of Civilization to 221 BC. This book was edited by Michael Loewe and Edward L. Shaughnessy.

Other Important Books

Denis Twitchett wrote several other important books about China:

• Financial Administration under the T'ang Dynasty (1963) - This book looked at how money was managed during the Tang Dynasty.
• Printing and Publishing in Medieval China (1983) - This book explored how books were made and shared in China a long time ago.
• The Writing of Official History Under the T'ang (1992) - This book was about how official historical records were kept during the Tang Dynasty.
• (with P.J.M. Geelan) The Times Atlas of China (1974) - This was an atlas, or book of maps, specifically about China.

Twitchett also helped create the China maps for The Times Atlas of World History. This famous atlas was first published in 1979.