The Pei architecture master 建筑大师贝先生

I. M. Pei is a Chinese American architect economy and culture in China. They became recognised as the master of modern wealthy through the sale of medicinal herbs. architecture. He has won every important The family always stressed the importance of award in his art. Pei has designed some of helping the less fortunate. Pei spent childhood the world’s most unique buildings and holidays in exploring the many famous landmarks, from Hong gardens and visiting the family Kong to Paris and New York. shrine. He loved the interesting rock formations, stone bridges He is a unique architect in the and waterfalls. He spoke later of sense that he has made buildings his love of the Shizilin Garden’s as beautiful and extravagant as blending of natural and human- the glass and steel pyramid entrance built elements. to the Art Museum in Paris, but also has overseen the development of low- Pei moved with his family to Shanghai at the income housing. This reflects both the brilliance age of ten. The city’s global architectural flavours and heart of this great man. had a profound influence on him, from the Bund waterfront area to the Park Hotel, built in 1934. He was born in 1917. The influences on Pei’s His interest in architecture was developing. childhood were broad. His family traces back to the Ming Dynasty, during which Pei was very close to his mother. She was they moved to Suzhou – then the centre of a devout Buddhist and introduced him to Word bank in the sense 就……而言 devastated adj. 伤心欲绝的 extravagant adj. 奢华的 cultivate v. 培养（技能，品质） trace back to 追溯到 transfer v. 转移（地方） family shrine 家族祠堂 firm n. 公司 formation n. 排列方式或形状 breathtaking adj. 美得令人窒息的 UNIT 6

v. （使）交融 n. 投资 blend investment Masters profound adj. 深刻的 dedicated adj. 满腔热忱的，有奉

devout adj. 虔诚的 献精神的 大师 meditation n. 冥想，打坐

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L’Enfant Plaza Hotel Museum of Islamic Art READAHOLIC

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Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Centre Le Grande Louvre 54 meditation. She also played the flute. She died of cancer when he was 13, which left him devastated and lonely. His relationship with his father was distant.

Although his family was wealthy, Pei’s father, a banker, was not much interested in art. Pei was drawn to music and other cultural forms, exploring art on his own. “I have cultivated myself,” he said later.

He also learnt basic English skills by reading the Bible and novels by Charles Dickens. He enjoyed watching American films and it was through this that he decided to move to the United States to study architecture.

Bank of China Tower In 1942, he married Eileen Loo. Through her influence he transferred from another university to Harvard to study architecture. There he was given the opportunity to study modern architecture which was his passion. He lectured at Harvard before taking on his first position in a firm. In 1955, he established his own architectural firm called I. M. Pei & Associates.

Pei has spent a long life-time creating amazing structures which are simply breathtaking. Each needs to be studied and, if possible, visited to be appreciated. Among them are L’Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington D.C., Dallas City Hall, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, JFK Presidential Library in Boston, in New Fragrant Hills Hotel York, National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Colorado and Mortan H. Meyerson Symphony Centre, Dallas.

His buildings overseas include Miho Museum in , Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, Suzhou Museum in and the Fragrant Hills Hotel on the outskirts of Beijing in China. For the hotel he drew on his love of the classic Chinese gardens of his youth. UNIT 6 Pei is also a smart businessman with good investments in stocks and

shares, property, restaurants, a football team and much more. Also, Masters throughout his life he has been a dedicated family man. Pei is a master and genius, at his art – and at life. 大师 JFK Presidential Library By Christine Mc Cafferty 55