Hong Kong-based kung fu novelist Jin Yong (金庸), whose knight-errant novels are devoured by Chinese readers around the world, is scheduled to come to Taipei next Friday, mainly to receive an honorary doctorate from a local university, a publishing source said yesterday.
The 83-year-old Jin Yong will receive an honorary doctorate by National Chengchi University (NCCU) in recognition of his outstanding long-term contribution to Chinese-language writing and literature, as well as his assiduous attitude toward learning.
Jin Yong will be one of three people to be awarded honorary doctorates in an event marking NCCU's 80th anniversary. The other two are Cloud Gate Dance Theater founder Lin Hwai-min (
Jin Yong, whose real name is Louis Liang-yung Cha (查良鏞), entered the Diplomacy Department of the Central Academy of Political Science in 1944 in China.
Shanghai-born Jin Yong -- Hong Kong's most eminent man of letters -- has written 15 best-selling martial arts novels, most of which have been adapted for film and television.
The soft-spoken Chinese writer is renowned not only as the author of 15 kung fu novels but as a veteran reporter, publisher and political commentator. He founded Hong Kong's Ming Pao newspaper and its sister publications.
A man of letters who is also an expert in law, history and Buddhism, Jin Yong received an honorary doctorate from Cambridge University in 2005. He applied to attend the history institute of Cambridge the same year, with David McMullen as his mentor.
Jin Yong is scheduled to receive his master's degree from Cambridge May 12 before heading to Taiwan for the NCCU honorary doctorate.
His 15 novels, written between 1955 and 1972, are considered more than just kung fu stories. Their pages burst with fantastic knight-errant tales of heroic swordsmen and beautiful heroines, intermingling romance, tragedy and comedy with Chinese and religious values.
Universities around the Chinese-speaking world have formed Jin Yong fan clubs, sponsored seminars or opened classes on his classic novels.
Chinese readers can immerse themselves in their cultural heritage by appreciating the language, calligraphy, arts, music, traditional costumes, cuisine and martial arts that they read about in the novels. Traditional Chinese culture, fantasy and history form the colorful backdrops for his works.
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
RSS