Renowned poetry scholar Yeh Chia-ying passes away at 100

Yeh Chia-ying, a luminary in Chinese classical poetry and an internationally celebrated scholar, passed away in Tianjin today at the age of 100, following an illness.

Yeh Chia-ying addresses a symposium on Chinese poetry education held at Nankai University in October 2023. Xinhua

A farewell ceremony will be held Nov. 30 at 10 a.m. in Tianjin, with her memorial set up at the Shaw Library on Nankai University’s Balitai campus, according to a statement from Nankai University, where she worked and resided during her final decades.

Yeh is remembered for her remarkable contributions to Chinese classical literature, education, and cultural preservation, which left an enduring mark on academic and cultural landscapes worldwide.

Born in Beijing in 1924, Yeh grew up in a scholarly family, displaying exceptional talent for classical literature from a young age. She graduated from the Department of Chinese Literature at Fu Jen Catholic University in 1945 and began her teaching career in Taiwan in 1954.

A young Yeh Chia-ying teaches a class, captured in this undated file photo. China News Service

In 1969, Yeh moved to Vancouver, Canada, where she joined the University of British Columbia (UBC) and became a professor. She was one of the foremost scholars to introduce Chinese classical poetry to Western audiences. Her pioneering work earned her a fellowship in the Royal Society of Canada in 1991, making her the first and only Chinese scholar in classical literature to receive this honor. Yeh also served as a visiting professor at esteemed institutions, including Harvard, Yale, and Columbia universities.

Driven by a deep love for her homeland and its cultural heritage, Yeh began returning to China in 1978. From 1979 onward, she traveled to the mainland annually to lecture on Chinese literature and poetry, eventually settling at Nankai University in her later years.

Yeh devoted her life to the study, teaching, and promotion of Chinese classical poetry, a passion she described as “serving a single purpose: the study, creation, and education of Chinese poetry.”

Yeh Chia-ying delivers a speech in this undated file photo.  China News Service

Her philanthropic efforts were equally profound, as she donated over 35 million yuan (US$4.83 million) to establish multiple foundations, including the Yeshi Tuoan Scholarship, Yongyan Academic Fund, and Jialing Fund, all aimed at advancing the study and dissemination of Chinese classical culture.

Throughout her illustrious career, Yeh received numerous accolades, including the Lifetime Achievement Award for Chinese Poetry, recognition as one of the most influential foreign experts during the 40 years of China’s reform and opening-up, the 2019 Chinese Government Friendship Award, and acknowledgment as one of the 2020 Touching China honorees.