The Man Who Made China a Literate Nation , by Mark O'Neill, was published in English only in 2023. In this talk, the author describes Zhou's extraordinary life of 111 years, as the father of Hanyu Pinyin, the system of writing Chinese characters with Romanised letters in use since 1958. More than one billion Chinese have learnt it. Zhou chose to return to the mainland in 1949 and lived through the campaigns of the Maoist period, spending 28 months in a labour camp in Ningxia. He wrote 49 books, and in the last 20 years of his life, he earned a reputation as one of China's most outspoken public intellectuals. He lived so long thanks to an innate optimism, intellectual curiosity about everything and a Buddhist-like humility to see himself and his belongings as of little value.
Attendees may also like to read Mark's article on Zhou Youguang, which was published in the 2023 volume of the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, China.
Agenda
7
00PM
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7
30PM
7
30PM
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8
30PM
Discussion with Mark O'Neill
Speakers
Mark O'Neill
Mark O'Neill was born in London, England and educated at Marlborough College and New College, Oxford. He worked in Washington D.C., Manchester and Belfast before moving to Asia in 1978. He has lived here ever since. After a long journalistic career, in 2006 he turned to writing books and has completed 12 so far in English. Seven have been translated into traditional Chinese and three into simplified Chinese. He speaks French, Mandarin, Cantonese and Japanese and lives in Hong Kong with his wife.
Speakers
Mark O'Neill
https://www.mark-oneill.comMark O'Neill was born in London, England and educated at Marlborough College and New College, Oxford. He worked in Washington D.C., Manchester and Belfast before moving to Asia in 1978. He has lived here ever since. After a long journalistic career, in 2006 he turned to writing books and has completed 12 so far in English. Seven have been translated into traditional Chinese and three into simplified Chinese. He speaks French, Mandarin, Cantonese and Japanese and lives in Hong Kong with his wife.
Tickets
Members of other RAS branches (Beijing, Hong Kong, Korea, etc.)
RMB 50
Public Price
Buy TicketFor members of other RAS branches and chapters.
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Includes one drink.RAS China institutional member
RMB 50
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Members of the Duke Kunshan University Community
RMB 50
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Buy TicketThis ticket is available for all members of the DKU community who register with a valid @dukekushan.edu.cn email address. Includes one drink.