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Chi Pang-yuan

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Chi Pang-yuan
Chi in 2015
Chi in 2015
Native name
齊邦媛
Born(1924-02-19)19 February 1924
Tieling County, Liaoning, Republic of China
Died28 March 2024(2024-03-28) (aged 100)
Guishan District, Taoyuan, Taiwan
Alma materWuhan University
Spouse
Luo Yuchang (羅裕昌)
(m. 1948; died 2012)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinQí Bāngyuán
Wade–GilesCh'i2 Pang1-yüan2

Chi Pang-yuan (Chinese: 齊邦媛; pinyin: Qí Bāngyuàn; 19 February 1924 – 28 March 2024) was a Manchurian-born Taiwanese writer, academic, and Chinese–English translator. She was instrumental in introducing Taiwanese literature to the Western World through translations.[1] She is also known for her autobiography The Great Flowing River (2009).

Education and career

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Chi studied English literature at Wuhan University under the tutelage of Zhu Guangqian and Wu Mi. In 1947, she became a teacher of English at National Taiwan University. In 1956, she went to the United States on the Fulbright Exchange Teachers' Program and in 1967, she went to St. Mary-of-the-Woods College as a Fulbright scholar again. She enrolled at Indiana University Bloomington in 1968, but returned to Taiwan six credits away from completing a Master of Arts degree due to family matters.

In 1969, Chi founded and served as head of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at National Chung Hsing University. In the 70s, while working at the National Institute for Compilation and Translation, she pushed for the de-politicization of the mandatory Chinese textbooks in Taiwan and started translating Taiwanese literature into English. From 1977 to 1988, she was professor of English literature at NTU and was granted emeritus status after retiring.[2][3] Chi subsequently became editor-in-chief of The Taipei Chinese PEN.[3]

Chi's autobiography, The Great Flowing River, is a bestseller in the Sinophone world. It has been translated into English, German, and Japanese.[4][2]

President Chen Shui-bian awarded Chi the Order of Propitious Clouds in 2004.[2][5] In 2015, Chen's successor Ma Ying-jeou awarded Chi the Order of Brilliant Star.[6][7]

Chi turned 100 in early 2024 and died on 28 March of the same year.[2][8]

References

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  1. ^ Gao, Pat (1 October 2009). "The River Flows On". Taiwan Review.
  2. ^ a b c d Chiu, Tsu-yin; Ko, Lin (30 March 2024). "Renowned Taiwan writer Chi Pang-yuan dies at 100". Central News Agency. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Indiana University awards honorary doctorate to renowned Taiwanese writer". Indiana University Bloomington. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  4. ^ The Great Flowing River: A Memoir of China, from Manchuria to Taiwan. Columbia University Press. July 2018. ISBN 9780231547819.
  5. ^ "總統頒授「二等卿雲勳章」給資深作家柏楊、鍾肇政、葉石濤、琦君及齊邦媛". Office of the President (Taiwan). 15 October 2004. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Brilliant stars". Taiwan Today. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  7. ^ "總統主持104年文化界人士授勳典禮". Office of the President (Taiwan). 12 November 2015. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  8. ^ 讀書寫作每刻都是永恆」台灣文學巨擘齊邦媛辭世 享嵩壽101歲 (in Chinese)