Yu Ying-shih (余英時), known as the world's greatest Chinese intellectual historian and a lifetime member of Taiwan's Academia Sinica, passed away in his sleep in America, at the age of 91.
Yu was born in Tianjin, China in 1930. After studying under the Chinese historian master Qian Mu (錢穆) at the New Asia College and New Asia Research Institute in Hong Kong, he earned his Ph.D. degree from Harvard University. Later, he taught at various universities including Michigan, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale Universities.
Yu was adept in using modern academic methods to interpret traditional Chinese thought. In addition, he had outstanding academic achievements in the fields of Chinese history, intellectual history, and cultural history, and therefore, he was awarded a number of academic honors at home and abroad including the Executive Yuan Culture Award (1991), the John W. Kluge Prize for the Study of Humanity in the humanities and social sciences (2006), the first-ever Tang Prize in Sinology (2014), among others. Additionally, he was also elected as the 10th fellow of Taiwan’s Academia Sinica (1974) and the fellow of American Philosophical Society (2004).
Yu spared no effort to support the younger generation. For instance, he generously donated his NT$10 million research grant accompanying the Tang Prize to the founding of a new fellowship, the "Yu Ying-shih Fellowship for the Humanities."
Not only made considerable academic contributions, but Yu was also concerned about social reality. He spoke for democracy movements in Taiwan and Hong Kong, playing an intellectual role in promoting discussion, supervision and criticism of affairs in the public sphere. He did not have fear of great power and cared about universal value of human rights, freedom, and equality.
Ministry of Culture offered its highest tribute to Yu for his years of dedication.
(Photo courtesy of Tang Prize Foundation)