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Yu Guangzhong
1928-10-21
Birthplace / Nanjing

Yu Guangzhong (Chinese: 余光中; pinyin: yú guāngzhōng, also written Yu Kwang-Chung, born October 21, 1928) is a Taiwanese writer, poet, educator, and critic.

He was born in Nanjing, China but fled with his family during the Japanese Army's invasion in World War II. After returning to Nanjing many years later, he again was forced to flee due to the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War. Yu and his family fled to Taiwan via Hong Kong in 1950 with the Kuomintang Government.

Yu entered the University of Nanking for English Major in 1947, and then transferred to Xiamen University. He enrolled at National Taiwan University and was one of the first students to graduate with a degree in foreign languages. He also holds a master of fine arts degree from the University of Iowa.

After graduation, he began his career as a university teacher in 1956. He is Professor Emeritus at National Sun Yat-sen University in Kaohsiung. He has taught in the United States, including at Gettysburg College.He has published 17 poetry collections and 12 prose collections.

Yu's poetry since the 1970s has focused on the theme of longing for China felt by many Mainland Chinese soldiers and Nationalist Government workers who fled to Taiwan after the Chinese Civil War.Yu in his works often focuses upon four fundamental aspects of literature; namely poetry, prose, translation, and commentary. Amongst the writers using Chinese, Yu Guangzhong has made himself well-received to readers by showing innovative humour in his essays, exhibiting wit in his appreciations, and evincing his understanding of humanistic culture in his poetry.

As a former professor at the Chinese language and literature faculty at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Yu is internationally acclaimed for his command in traditional Chinese as well as modern literature.

Besides his proficiency in the English language, for which he has been appointed professor at departments of English in Taiwan and the USA, Yu is also an eager learner of languages, especially occidental ones. He speaks French, German, Spanish, and Italian, languages which he sometime cites in his Chinese essays when juxtaposing the Chinese and Western cultures. He has also learned Russian.

Yu Guangzhong poet

Prof. Yu Guangzhong (left) and his well-known poem "West Bay is waiting for you [西子灣在等你]", manuscript with signature(right).

Sources: https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/余光中#/media/File:Prof_Yu_Kwang_Chung.jpg

& http://dayu.lis.nsysu.edu.tw/ProList.php?i=0&t=kaohsiung&content=nsysu_yu_lit_poe_806

Structured Data

余光中
0000 0000 6663 7806
Yu Kwang-Chung
National Sun Yat-sen University
Professor
Yu Guangzhong (September 9, 1928 - ), born in China , Nanjing , a native of Fujian Quanzhou Yongchun , Taiwan writer, the incumbent National Sun Yat-sen University. He has published 17 poetry collections and 12 prose collections.
Born: 1928-10-21
Nanjing
Home Location: Kaohsiung
Parent: Yu Chaoying
Alumni of: National Taiwan University
Alumni of: University of Iowa
Alumni of: University of Nanking
Alumni of: Xiamen University
Author of: Cold war years [在冷戰年代之詩]
Author of: 左手的繆思
Author of: 鄉愁
Author of: 友情傘
Award and recognition: 34th National Culture Award (行政院文化獎) 2015
Award and recognition: Order of Brilliant Star (景星勳章)

Sources and references

 

© Marcia Lei Zeng for Academia Sinica Center for Digital Cultures