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Midterm Paper Topic: YuTang (林語堂), for 謝老師 Calligraphy

Preface

Last summer, my dad, while lecturing me on life, suggested that I read Lin YuTang's My Country and My People . At first, I balked at this idea (as I did to many of his ideas, I must admit). Having been born and raised almost entirely in America, my Chinese reading skills were poor, to say the least. But, he reassured me that the book, although bearing a Chinese author's name, was written in English. I waved the thought aside, for I felt I had better things to spend with my time. Returning to the JHU campus, I found myself in the library one day. Since I was there already, I decided to look up this mysterious book. There it was, at the bottom of the shelf on D-Level. Its worn, green, cloth covers proclaimed it had undergone book repair in prior years, but the text was still securely intact. "My Country and My People," it said in gold lettering on the spine. It was within these covers that I was first introduced to Dr. Lin YuTang's work. Though the book was written in 1935, and originally intended for Westerners, I found the material quite applicable to one as myself. As an American-Born Chinese, I find myself so far away from the Chinese culture of generations past. And yet, I am inexplicably tied to this unfamiliar culture by my bloodlines. Reading about the Chinese character and the Chinese lifestyle, through the unwavering and perceptive eyes of Dr. Lin YuTang, not only drew me closer to my ancestral history, but also helped me understand my parents better. So this was the culture Mom and Dad grew up with! I suppose my newfound insights fueled an improved sense of filial piety, for I seemed to get along with them better after reading this book. Which brings me to this paper for Calligraphy class. Initially, I had planned to write a quick biography of Dr. Lin YuTang, and then spend the rest of this essay discussing a select few of his works, such as My Country and My People , Between Tears and Laughter , The Pleasures of a Nonconformist , etc. These were some of the dozen or so books I managed to scrounge up in our humble little college library. There was also one other book, titled 林語堂傳, written by Dr. Lin YuTang's daughter Anor Lin. "What a great find!" I thought. Unfortunately, Mrs. Anor Lin authored the book entirely in Chinese. Since my reading skills, as I mentioned before, are less than fluent, I didn't think this book would be much use to me. However, as I began researching and writing, I continually referenced this book again and again. The value of firsthand accounts appealed greatly to me, and I was enthralled to find out so much about Dr. Lin YuTang's struggles and obstacles he faced growing up. About two pages down, I realized I had enough material to write 10, if not 20 or 30 pages just on Dr. Lin YuTang himself. For this paper, I have written a condensed biography of his life up to the time of his first book, as it happens to be the one that influenced my own life, My Country and My People . I hope to continue this exposition in the final class paper. Due to the difficulties I faced reading in Chinese, I spent several hours a day going through just one chapter of 林語堂傳. This is one of the reasons the paper has taken such a long time to finish. The other reason is my personal standards for thoroughness and attention to detail. I hope it amounts to a good read. Eugene Wu 吳至鈞 March 2006 CHILDHOOD

Aboard a small raft, among a throng of passengers, two young brothers tussle with each other, laughing merrily. The raft meanders down a shallow stream, winding its way between the opposite banks. The stream is shallow, sometimes so shallow that the raft captain and his passengers must alight and carry it upon their shoulders. The children, excused from the adult task, clap and splash joyfully along, especially the younger brother. He is nine years old, and for the first time, he is leaving his cloistered little town in the mountains and trekking with his older brother to to attend primary school there. The older brother is HeQing ( 和清), and the younger brother is HeLe ( 和樂), who is to become the scholar, author, philosopher, translator, world traveler, and poet Lin YuTang ( 林 語堂).

Lin YuTang was born on October 10, 1895, in (龍溪(漳州)縣) of Province ( 福建省). His father, Lin ZhiCheng ( 林至誠) was a Christian minister. Together with his wife Yang ShunMing ( 楊順命), they had eight children. Lin YuTang numbered the fifth son. ZhiCheng had led his entire life as a farmer and entered seminary at the age of 24. Returning to the fields of his home, ZhiCheng continued to practice his beliefs. Under the influence of Reverend W.L. Warnshius, he obtained a subscription to a newsletter called Christian Intelligence , which kept him informed about the rest of the world. Often sharing the news stories with his Above, Lin YuTang children, ZhiCheng read about the work going on at famous as a boy. Below, universities and hoped his sons would one day attend an eminent his childhood home. university somewhere in the Western world. This first step, sending his boys to primary school in Xiamen, was made possible because the school was organized by Christian missionaries, who offered free education.

At the Xiamen primary school, Lin YuTang found the schoolwork easy and busied himself with kicking shuttlecocks and playing soccer. Although he had also attended the local missionary school back in his village, his education at Xiamen was the first to expose him to true Western culture. Though the schoolwork wasn't particularly challenging, Lin YuTang was constantly reminded by his father and his siblings of the seriousness of his academic endeavor. The family slogan might well have been 「讀書成名」. Under this urging, he earned an admission to St. John's University in ( 聖約翰大學) at the age of 15. Like many short-sighted youth, Lin YuTang was reluctant to go. Instead, he wished to stay with his family. Not to see this opportunity fly by, his older sister MeiGong ( 美宮) stepped in and then said: 「我們是窮人家,二姐只有這 四角錢給你.你不要糟蹋上大學的機會.我因為是女的,所以沒有這種福氣.你要 立定決心,做個好人,做個有用的人,好好的用功讀書,因為你必得成名.你從上 海回家時,再來看我.」These simple but heartfelt words moved young Lin YuTang. He took it upon himself to achieve academic progress for his family, for his 二姐 MeiGong. Returning for summer vacation the following year, he visited MeiGong in her new town, for she had gotten married. MeiGong asked endless questions about his life in Shanghai and his studies, but they quickly parted as Lin YuTang continued on the rest of his journey home. Sadly, that autumn, MeiGong fell deathly ill and parted from the world, carrying her seven-month-old unborn child with her. Lin YuTang overcame the unbearable sadness with a new determination to fulfill his sister's hopes. Thereafter, regardless of time or age, 1903 Lin family portrait. 8 year old Lin 二姐的四角錢 YuTang stands third from the left, his the very mention of would push Lin sister MeiGong second from the right. YuTang to tears.

COLLEGE AND LOVE

St. John's University in Shanghai was known for its excellent English curriculum. Thus, the student body was diverse, ranging from small towners like Lin YuTang to other children of more eminent parents, walking and chortling around in Western suits. Most students came here for two reasons: to make rich friends, or to help Shanghai in foreign trading and business. To Lin YuTang, however, his goal was clear--to pursue education.

Upon entering the school, Lin YuTang changed his name from the childhood name 和樂 to 玉堂. Again, much like in Xiamen primary school, he found the studies quite easy, and often took to furtively reading his own books during class. His method for learning English was simple. Using a dictionary, he studied one word at a time, examining the definition and the use of the word in context. His self-discipline required him to fully understand the usage of every word before he could move on to the next. Pronunciation, he also figured, was no problem once one recognized the correct syllable on which to place the vocal stress. In this manner, he mused, 「把英文差不多學通了」.

The library of St. John's University carried over 5000 books. Lin YuTang read them all, and complained the library was too small, 「不過癮」. He sought answers to his questions about life, and when he did not find answers in one book, he went on to the next. Initially, Lin YuTang entered the university to study in preparation of pastorhood, to continue in the footsteps of his father. However, after a year of study, too many questions about Christianity remained unanswered and unexplained. All the Scriptures told that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, yet all educated people agreed that it was a physically impossible act. And yet all believers were expected to believe this to receive baptism. And furthermore, if God knows man is born with sin, why does He condemn man for his sinfulness? Perhaps his change in beliefs and unresolved internal conflict was dourly affected by his sister's untimely passing as well. Lin YuTang returned from summer vacation an unbeliever and switched his major to Language Studies (文科).

Doing extraordinarily well in school, Lin YuTang had little to worry about at this point in his life. But a big change was about to take place. One day, a fellow Xiamen classmate brought his little sister along to meet Lin YuTang. Her name was Chen JinDuan (陳錦端), and she went to the nearby St. Mary's ( 聖瑪麗女校), an all-girls school. At the time, there was little chance for the boys to meet the girls, as they attended different schools and different churches, but since JinDuan, her brothers, and Lin YuTang were all from Xiamen, it was natural for them to spend time all together.

Lin YuTang fell in love with JinDuan at first sight. She aspired in art, he in literature--it seemed a perfect match. During that year, their love for each other grew as they spent time walking in the park and watching movies together. But it was not to be. Upon summer, Lin YuTang feverishly visited the Chen household in Xiamen, yearning for a glimpse of JinDuan. She had hidden herself in her room. Her father ( 陳天恩醫師), knowing the boy's intentions, as well as his departure from Christianity the years prior (for the Chen household was deeply religious), saw Lin YuTang as an intelligent but wayward young man. Not to mention the fact that the Chen family was quite well-to-do, while the Lin family essentially consisted of farmers. Dr. Chen wanted his daughter to marry well, and Lin YuTang was no match. Instead, Dr. Chen cleverly proposed to introduce Lin YuTang to a daughter of his neighbor's friend. Her name was TsuiFeng ( 翠鳳).

Denied his true love, Lin YuTang fell into despair. Amidst the uncontainable disappointment, he offhandedly agreed to the matchmaking and subsequent engagement with TsuiFeng. In his heart, though, he never forgot JinDuan. Even in his later years, his eyes would light up at the news of JinDuan being in town, and he would merrily prepare to receive her at his home, bubbling with excitement like a mere child.

Graduating as salutatorian of St. John's University in 1916, Lin YuTang shucked conventional customs and put off marriage. He had no love for TsuiFeng. Instead, on hearing word of scholarship opportunities to America through QingHua University ( 清華大 學), Lin YuTang followed the recommendation of his principal and headed north to Beijing, intent on pursuing an education in the States.

TEACHING IN BEIJING

Beijing was not just the political or educational capital of China. It was also a cultural capital, and it enveloped its visitors with cultural icons of hundreds and thousands years past. In this way, Beijing besieged Lin YuTang's understanding and knowledge of his own culture. Having given up the calligraphy brush in favor of the fountain pen for English writing at St. John's, Lin YuTang came to realize at Beijing his complete ignorance of Chinese cultural history (not to mention his now horrible calligraphy). He eagerly picked up every book he could get his hands on to learn more. However, too ashamed of his ignorance to ask for guidance, he ended up just pawing through mounds of books by himself. He still had his pride to maintain.

Besides, he was here to teach, and he couldn't lose face in front of students. QingHua University offered a program where scholars could come teach for three years, at the end of which they were awarded a scholarship to an American university to continue studies at the third or fourth-year levels. Lin YuTang continued to study language while at QingHua. However, he faced a growing frustration with they way Chinese dictionaries were currently organized. Delving deeper into possible solutions, he published his first-ever Chinese-written article, < 漢字索引制說明>, in the local student magazine. The article called for linguistic reform of the classification of Chinese characters, and caught the attention of the university president himself. Soon, funds were appropriated for a committee on the reorganization of the Chinese language, with Lin YuTang serving as a member.

Lin YuTang also pushed for expressionism and realism in Chinese writing, favoring the everyday vernacular ( 白話) over the old, formal way of writing ( 文言文). Lin YuTang was not alone in this endeavor, for many students at the time also agreed with the new paradigm shift. Much tumult followed the numerous student revolutions, but Lin YuTang would not be there to see the results of student efforts. In 1919, he finished the three years of teaching service. Much to his dismay, however, the school only awarded him a half- scholarship. Determined to continue his education, he applied for study in Comparative Literature ( 比較文學) at ( 哈佛大學). Harvard accepted.

Back at home, TsuiFeng had been waiting. Lin YuTang had put off marriage for four years now, claiming his studies in the north would keep him busy and unable to tend to a family. But now, with his imminent leave of the country, there was no telling when he would return, if at all. It was time. Lin YuTang and TsuiFeng married on July 9, in the summer of 1919. Together, they headed off to America.

EDUCATION IN AMERICA AND OVERSEAS

Aboard the Colombia Steamboat, just one month after the wedding, TsuiFeng came down with appendicitis. There were no doctors on board, much less any medical implements. TsuiFeng suffered in her room, Lin YuTang by her side. The other passengers, knowing it was their honeymoon, misinterpreted and made fun of the constant confinement, unaware of their pain. Should they stop at Hawaii, Lin YuTang wondered? The half- scholarship wasn't much, and Lin YuTang didn't have much money of his own, but if need be, they decided medical treatment would be necessary. Thankfully, the pain subsided.

Finally arriving in Boston, they rented two rooms on Mt. Auburn Street, sharing a kitchen with the landlady and two other tenants. TsuiFeng did all the grocery shopping, cooking, laundry, and cleaning herself, determined to hold a tight purse on their living expenses. Unfortunately, her appendicitis returned. This time, there was no avoiding the costly surgery.

At the hospital, Lin YuTang soothed TsuiFeng, assuring her it was a simple and quick procedure. So confident was he in this fact, that he studied Anglo-Saxon grammar while waiting. Only three hours later did he realize that TsuiFeng was still in the operating room. Apparently, the doctor had never operated on an Asian woman before, and took his time in poking around her inner cavities before completing the surgery. After this, TsuiFeng Lin YuTang and TsuiFeng in contracted an internal infection. She returned to the hospital to Boston, 1919. undergo surgery again, and had to stay in the hospital for a while. Now all of their money was indebted toward medical expenses. Lin YuTang telephoned TsuiFeng's brother for money. For a week until the money arrived, Lin YuTang lived on Quaker Rice Cakes. When TsuiFeng was finally released from the hospital, it was February. A soft blanket of snow quietly covered the ground. Lin YuTang pulled TsuiFeng home on a sled. From after the hospital experience, their intimacy grew, and Lin YuTang could study with his mind at ease.

To many of us, Harvard is the epitome of academia in business, law, social sciences, and reputation. But to Lin YuTang, Harvard was really just one thing--the Widener Library, where millions upon millions of books waited for him. This was his scholastic heaven, and he spent every waking moment of his life engorged in the books. His professors included Bliss Perry, Irving Babbitt, Von Jagerman, among others. Bliss Perry once praised Lin YuTang for his paper, "The Change in Vocabulary in the Critical Essay", saying it was tantamount to a Masters' thesis. Lin YuTang actively spent all his time reading, thinking aloud, questioning the ideas in books and reflecting on his thoughts. Needless to say, he brought his work home with him, and often read himself to tears or laughter. Though he would sometimes read such a passage to TsuiFeng, she would rarely understand its implications, and simply emulated his reaction.

They were like polar opposites, married by the forces of fate and fathers. He liked exercise, she liked quiescence. He liked pork, she liked fish. He liked talking, she kept to herself. They were like strangers getting to know each other for the first time. But TsuiFeng felt safe with Lin YuTang, especially during the cold nights, when they huddled together for warmth amidst the harsh Boston winters. Sometimes, she would find him sitting with his pipe, just staring out the window at night, coming to bed only at 1 or 2 am. Other than that, though, he was always healthy in body, mind, and spirit, and they only argued if she bothered his reading.

Lin YuTang had not been at Harvard for even a year when his half-scholarship was mysteriously cancelled. QingHua University offered no explanation. Only some time afterwards did the couple find out that one of the fellow scholarship recipients had lost a fortune in the stock market and committed suicide. Whether this had anything to do with the scholarship cancellation, they never found out. In any case, they were now in desperate need of cash. Before he had left China, Lin YuTang had agreed with Peking National University ( 北京大學) to take a professorship there upon his return. He now beseeched the school, through his QingHua colleague HuShi ( 胡適), to send him $1000 U.S. dollars to cover living expenses. While he waited for their response, Lin YuTang brought food to the table by submitting to a monthly literary competition. He won three times in a row, earning $25 each time. Afterwards, too embarrassed to continue, he stopped.

While his grades at Harvard his first year were nothing less than spectacular (he earned straight A's in all his classes), Lin YuTang had no financial aid to help him continue his studies. Unable to enroll again, he applied for work with the Young Men's Christian Academy (YMCA, 基督教青年會), to help teach Chinese laborers in France to read and write. The Chinese laborers had originally been sent there during the First World War to help bury the dead. YMCA accepted his application, and paid for Lin YuTang and TsuiFeng's travel expenses. Off they went to Le Creusot ( 樂魁素), France.

Though the work with YMCA was satisfying to some spiritual extent, Lin YuTang wanted to continue his academic studies. Due to the deflation of the German mark, they opted to move to Germany, taking advantage of a lower cost-of-living. Lin YuTang applied and was accepted at the University of Jena ( 耶那大學) in Germany. He sent a letter back to his academic advisor in Harvard, asking permission to substitute courses at Jena to finish his Master's degree. His advisor wrote back with an OK, but also encouraged Lin YuTang to further his education and pursue a doctorate.

In 1922, Lin YuTang finally completed his Master's degree in Comparative Literature from Harvard. Not satisfied, he pursued a doctorate at Leipzig University ( 萊比錫大學), focusing now on Chinese Language ( 中國音韻學). Leipzig University was known as a top university in language studies. Lin YuTang wrote back home to tell his father, knowing he would be happy to hear the news. Despite his academic achievement, however, Lin 1923, classmates and friends at Leipzig. Lin YuTang YuTang struggled to pay bills. He had to top row second from right, TsuiFeng bottom far right. ask for another $1000 from Peking National University. To help support him, TsuiFeng had to sell her precious jade jewelry too, given to her as gifts on her wedding day. Sadly, Westerners were unable to appreciate jade, and the jewelry fetched low prices on the market. Lin YuTang tried comforting TsuiFeng, 「鳳,等 我賺了錢,買還給你.」

After three years, TsuiFeng finally conceived. Wanting to raise their child in China, this forced Lin YuTang to hurry up and finish his doctorate degree. His doctoral thesis was "Altchinesiche Lautlehre" < 古代中國語音學>. Lin YuTang was so confident in himself that he arranged to leave the night of his doctoral oral examination. After a full morning of running from one professor's office to the next, Lin YuTang ran home to find TsuiFeng already waiting for him at the door. 「怎麼樣?」 She asked. 「好了!」 And they kissed in the middle of the street, linked arms, and together said goodbye to Germany.

RETURN TO BEIJING

Adet Lin ( 鳳如,後改名如斯) was born in Xiamen on May 6, 1923. TsuiFeng and the baby stayed in Xiamen until autumn, when they rejoined Lin YuTang in Beijing. He had begun a busy life in their absence. The first thing he did was pay a visit to the university principal, thanking him for the $2000 forwarded to cover living expenses. To Lin YuTang's surprise, the principal said, " 什麼兩千塊錢?" Unbeknownst to Lin YuTang, it was his dear friend HuShi who had squeezed the money out of his own pocket to help him. HuShi himself had been busy in the literary circle in China. He had started, carried, and indeed, was now a central figure in the new literary movement for the vernacular ( 白話). HuShi even held meetings at his house.

After Lin YuTang settled in as professor of English Philology at Peking National, he also started meeting with other like-minded individuals, at Beijing Central Park ( 中央公園). They discussed anything and everything, and eventually started a magazine to vent their opinions, entitled Yu Ssu ( 語絲). At this time, Lin YuTang changed his name to 語堂, as we now know him. He wrote many essays, mostly criticizing the inefficient and corrupt Chinese government of the time. The Chinese government was undergoing treacherous changes, and it was not a good time to be in Beijing, much less be writing rebellious essays about the government! Amidst the student riots, TsuiFeng grew increasingly worried about her husband's safety and, it seemed to her, his obstinate stupidity in continuing to write inflammatory articles.

At 8 am on March 18, Lin YuTang received a call from a female student, Liu HeZhen ( 劉和珍). There was a demonstration going on at Tiananmen Square ( 天安門) that day, and as a student representative, she was asking for class to be cancelled. Lin YuTang thought there should be no hazard, and agreed, telling her to give earlier notice next time. At 2 pm that afternoon, Lin YuTang arrived at the school meeting to hear that Liu HeZhen was dead. Apparently, some two hundred students had been massacred.

Then, on April 20, General "Dog-Meat" Zhang ZongChang ( 狗肉將軍張宗昌) took the helm of the government. A list was posted, of dissenters, and Lin YuTang's name was on that list. The military took two people on that list and shot them that night. It was time to leave Beijing. Together with their newborn daughter Anor ( 玉如,後改名無雙, 再改為太乙), the Lin family escaped to Xiamen.

LITERARY CULTIVATION

Through a doctor friend in Beijing, Lin YuTang landed a position at National Amoy University ( 廈門大學) as Dean of College of Arts ( 文科主任). Many other intellectuals, escaping from Beijing, had followed him here as well. The program quickly flourished, but after repeated problems with a co-worker, Lin YuTang left the school. It was now spring of 1927, and Lin YuTang headed into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the Wuhan Revolutionary Government of China to work as a secretary ( 武漢國民政府外交部英文秘 書). In addition to working alongside a former Beijing colleague, the work was exciting and spirited. But Lin YuTang would not stay very long. Just a couple months after his arrival, the Wuhan government began to split. Lin YuTang left to Shanghai.

In Shanghai, another former colleague pulled him into being a research fellow in English for the newly established Academia Sinica ( 國立中央研究院). The title was superficial, and Lin YuTang found himself with a small office and lots of free time. He began writing a column for The China Critic Weekly , a newsletter focusing on social and political issues, and written entirely in English. His column, titled "The Little Critic", drew great interest and was so popular that it was later compiled and republished in two volumes.

Lin YuTang also composed an English textbook, aimed at secondary school students. Published as < 開明 英文讀本>, it was wildly successful and became the top seller for English students all over China. Shanghai's DongWu University ( 東吳大學) invited him to be an English professor. It was here at DongWu that Lin YuTang met Hsu ZhiMo ( 徐志摩), a man much like himself. Lin YuTang greatly admired his literary talents.

Besides writing articles, Lin YuTang also spent much of his time researching possible improvements to Chinese typewriters. Typing in Chinese was not easy. Chinese characters involve thousands of stroke combinations, whereas in English, there are only 26 basic characters. Given the lack of a Chinese alphabet, typing in Chinese at the time required hand-selecting a character from some 2500 keys. Lin YuTang knew he must first invent a proper way to classify all the different Chinese characters. Over several years, he came up with several Lin YuTang in Shanghai, 1930s. different methods. In 1931, as a representative of Academia Sinica, Lin YuTang attended a conference overseas ( 國際聯盟文化合作委員會). On the way back, he stopped at England to enlist an engineer in helping him build a prototype Chinese typewriter. He stayed for several months.

The year before, in 1930, TsuiFeng had their third daughter, HsiangRu ( 相如). While Lin YuTang was away, the Japanese attacked China. Anor, their second daughter, recalls, 「我記得母親叫我們不要換睡衣,和服睡在樓下,以便隨時逃走.我只有五 歲,覺得睡在地上很好玩.」 Soon they were bailed out of Shanghai by a relative, and sailed back to Xiamen. Lin YuTang returned home from England, with just three cents in his pocket. All his savings had been funneled into the typewriter, and yet it was not enough. He brought back the unfinished prototype. There was still much work to do. Indeed, for the rest of his life, Lin YuTang would pour his efforts into realizing this mechanical dream.

Returning to Shanghai, Lin YuTang had many things to keep himself busy. He continued to write, and in 1932, started his own periodicals, the Analects Fortnightly (論語), to promote humor ( 幽默), and This Human World (人間世), to encourage the human spirit ( 性靈). He said, 「提倡幽默必先解放性靈;蓋卻由性靈解放,漸再 參通義理,而幽默自然孕毓也.」 1931 family portrait. From left, Analects was an HsiangRu, Anor, Adet. instant success, reaping a readership unlike any before, and Lin YuTang's humorous articles garnered him the title 「 幽 默 大 師 」 . This all happened amidst severe political and social unrest in China. Lin YuTang himself admits, 「我在文學上的成功和發 展我自己的風格完全是國民黨之賜,如果我們 的民權不被取締和限制,恐怕我永不能成為一 個文學家... 」 Had there not been such official oppression, Lin YuTang might never had anything to speak against so vehemently. In many ways, the environment in which he lived forced him to adopt the critical literary practice termed 「諷刺文學」. The three periodicals headed by Lin YuTang: Analects , Cosmic Wind , and This Human World . Cosmic Wind started in 1935 after Despite the very real dangers of writing so This Human World stopped circulating. freely, Lin YuTang continued to express his individual opinions on nearly every matter of popular discourse. In addition to his magazines, he continued to write for The China Critic Weekly . His column caught the attention of Pearl S. Buck ( 賽珍珠), a West Virginia-born American author whose parents raised her solely in China. She had written her first novel East Wind, West Wind in 1930, and followed it with her best-known work The Good Earth in 1931. While Pearl was staying in Nanjing, she often read Lin YuTang's column, and was impressed by his energy and fresh spirit in writing. She wanted to know, "Who is this man Lin YuTang?" In 1933, Lin YuTang invited Pearl to his home as a dinner guest. The conversation touched on foreign authors writing about China. At this, Lin YuTang mulled, "I would actually much like to write a book about China, expressing my true thoughts." "Why don't you?" Pearl warmly urged. "You could definitely do it. I've wished for so long to read a Chinese-authored book on China."

MY COUNTRY AND MY PEOPLE

Encouraged by Pearl, Lin YuTang began writing his book in 1934. It took him 10 months to finish, amidst keeping up his regular publications. With the help of Pearl's suitor and publisher Richard Walsh, who owned the John Day Company, Lin YuTang made his debut in 1935. Titled My Country and My People (吾國吾民), his first book elucidated the true nature of Chinese culture and Chinese character to Western readers. Being the first of its kind, in terms of authenticity in Chinese roots, the book catapulted to the top of the New York Times bestseller list. If Lin YuTang wasn't a household name before, it certainly was now, and not only in China, but all over the world, for the book was translated and republished in many languages. Sadly, in the Chinese version of the book that came out one year later, many of Lin YuTang's whimsical charms were lost in translation. Though the book fed a voracious Chinese audience, it also created and sparked a minority dissent. Due to its objective and sometimes critical look at the Chinese, My Country and My People was occasionally thrown around as 「賣 Country and 賣 People 」, reflecting the image of Lin YuTang as a sell-out.

Regardless, Lin YuTang's first book rocketed him into the upper realms of success. He received praise from all over China, and indeed, all over the world. The New York Times' R. E. Kennedy remarked,

"Reading Mr. Lin's book is a tremendous experience, and one feels deeply grateful for the enlightenment derived from it. No one but a Chinese could have given such an honest, faithful, unprejudiced account of the people."

Additionally, Nathaniel Peffer of the Saturday Review of Literature wrote,

"Mr. Lin has lived in Europe and America and measured the ways of the West with a critical eye. He is widely read in Western literature, has an impressive erudition, and has not only 'learned' Western culture but understands it. Withal he has the mellowness, the wisdom, and the humor of his race... His book is therefore the best that has been written on China in English, and I recommend it to all those who want a true and sensitively perceived picture of China."

And in the introduction to the book, Lin YuTang's dear friend Pearl S. Buck herself writes,

"It is truthful and not ashamed of the truth: it is written proudly and humorously and with beauty, seriously and with gaiety, appreciative and understanding of both old and new. It is, I think, the truest, the most profound, the most complete, the most important book yet written about China. And, best of all, it is written by a Chinese, a modern, whose roots are firmly in the past, but whose rich flowering is in the present."

My Country and My People capped the end of Lin YuTang's youthful dabbling in the literary arena, and prepared him for a maturity that would lead to dozens upon dozens of books in the years to come. Truly, he would fulfill the childhood ambition, 「讀書成名」. References Note: I must credit Mrs. Anor Lin for a substantial amount of the material in this paper. In fact, much of what I have written was directly translated from her Chinese text. In addition, all the pictures I have used are scanned from her book as well.

林太乙 (Lin, Anor). < 林語堂傳> (Lin YuTang Zhuan ). 聯經出版事業公司, , , 1989.

"林語堂生平略影." The Lin Yutang House, . March 2006.

"生平年表." The Lin Yutang House, . March 2006.

"作品年表." The Lin Yutang House, . March 2006.

Lin, YuTang. My Country and My People . The John Day Company, New York, 1935.

"Lin Yutang." Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2003.

"Lin Yutang." Encyclopedia of World Biography Supplement, Vol. 25. Thomson Gale, 2005.

"Lin Yutang." Wikipedia, . March 2006.