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Archives of Peking University News - PKU English - 北京大学

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<strong>北京大学</strong>英语新闻网/<strong>Peking</strong> <strong>University</strong> <strong>News</strong><br />

Yuan Xingpei: An Erudite Scholar<br />

Devoted to Learning<br />

<strong>PKU</strong> NEWS 2006—10--23<br />

http://ennews.pku.edu.cn/news.php?s=161603834<br />

You‘re his student, looking forward to his arrival for class. He gently opens the door,<br />

walking in youthful spirit. He greets you with smiles, asking about your school and<br />

daily life. You can share with him all your joys and concerns. You have many<br />

inquiries after the class, and he listens with patience while inspiring you to draw your<br />

own independent conclusions.<br />

He is Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Yuan Xingpei <strong>of</strong> <strong>PKU</strong>‘s Chinese Department, a senior faculty who<br />

has spent more than a half century at <strong>Peking</strong> <strong>University</strong>.<br />

ONE WITHOUT A LEGEND<br />

In our eyes, Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Yuan always beams with his warm smiles, never making you<br />

uneasy or nervous. He believes in dialogue on equal footing between two people --<br />

even between one and his elder. He is always calm, never alarming nor distressing.<br />

There must be, you might think, an intriguing and enthralling story behind such<br />

appearance. ―I am not a legendary person as I posses no thrill stories,‖ Pr<strong>of</strong>essor<br />

Yuan would say so unassumingly. However, being ordinary does not equate to being<br />

mediocre. Like quiet spring water in the mountain, instead <strong>of</strong> rushing waves in the<br />

high ocean, Pr<strong>of</strong>essor‘s self-effacing and modest conduct over the years reflects his<br />

persistent pursuit in life.<br />

According to his former classmate, writer Ma Si, Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Yuan first captivated the<br />

attention <strong>of</strong> his class with his assiduousness, quick wittiness, outstanding grades and<br />

superior intelligence. Back then, classmates <strong>of</strong>ten spotted him in the woods along<br />

the Weimin Lake, either reciting poems aloud or lost in deep thoughts. Pr<strong>of</strong>essor<br />

Yuan was quite talented, <strong>of</strong>ten writing poems and was popular for recitation with his<br />

musical voice. Mr. Ma Si commented: ―Yuan Xingpei was not easily distracted nor<br />

overly-aggressive or ambitious without foundation, as <strong>of</strong>ten seen among youngsters.<br />

Nor was he idly dealing with his study with only superficial comprehension. He never<br />

bragged about his merits, and never engaged in anything in order to be the center <strong>of</strong><br />

attention. His reserved style reflected the pure character <strong>of</strong> an inspired young man<br />

who was highly motivated and remarkably driven.‖<br />

In 1957, Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Yuan graduated from <strong>PKU</strong>‘s Chinese Department and stayed on<br />

to teach. In the Fall <strong>of</strong> 1958, he took his students to the then<br />

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