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.
NUMBERS IMBALANCE: More than 4 million Taiwanese have visited China this year, while only about half a million Chinese have visited here Beijing has yet to respond to Taiwan’s requests for negotiation over matters related to the recovery of cross-strait tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. Taiwan’s tourism authority issued the statement after Chinese-language daily the China Times reported yesterday that the government’s policy of banning group tours to China does not stop Taiwanese from visiting the country. As of October, more than 4.2 million had traveled to China this year, exceeding last year. Beijing estimated the number of Taiwanese tourists in China could reach 4.5 million this year. By contrast, only 500,000 Chinese tourists are expected in Taiwan, the report said. The report
Temperatures are forecast to drop steadily as a continental cold air mass moves across Taiwan, with some areas also likely to see heavy rainfall, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. From today through early tomorrow, a cold air mass would keep temperatures low across central and northern Taiwan, and the eastern half of Taiwan proper, with isolated brief showers forecast along Keelung’s north coast, Taipei and New Taipei City’s mountainous areas and eastern Taiwan, it said. Lows of 11°C to 15°C are forecast in central and northern Taiwan, Yilan County, and the outlying Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties, and 14°C to 17°C
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
STEERING FAILURE: The first boat of its class is experiencing teething issues as it readies for acceptance by the navy, according to a recent story about rudder failure The Hai Kun (海鯤), the nation’s first locally built submarine, allegedly suffered a total failure of stern hydraulic systems during the second round of sea acceptance trials on June 26, and sailors were forced to manually operate the X-rudder to turn the submarine and return to port, news Web site Mirror Daily reported yesterday. The report said that tugboats following the Hai Kun assisted the submarine in avoiding collisions with other ships due to the X-rudder malfunctioning. At the time of the report, the submarine had completed its trials and was scheduled to begin diving and surfacing tests in shallow areas. The X-rudder,
RSS