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Professor Lin Chong-pin tells
story of his life's journey
CNA News, 2009.11.12
http://english.cna.com.tw/ReadNews/Eng_TopNews.aspx?ID=200911120012
In his new book, "Notes from an Earthly Journey, " Lin reveals some of the less well-known turns his life took in his pursuit of his artistic interests and his academic degrees -- one bachelor's, three master's and one doctorate. The perceptions he acquired through his parents -- a brass-hat father with extensive international experience and a mother who taught Chinese literature at top universities -- led to a keen interest in travel and foreign languages. He became fluent in English and also learned to speak German, French, Spanish, Russian and some Portuguese. "When I was applying for university entry, I was hoping to study humanities, but my mother suggested that I take physical sciences," he said. He therefore studied geology at National Taiwan University from 1960 to 1965 then went on to Bowling Green State University in Ohio 1966- 1969 to obtain a master's degree in the same field. The autobiographical essays in Lin's book reveal some interesting parallels between his life and his father's. For example, his father held two bachelors degrees -- in geosciences and economics -- that he had earned at National Tsinghua University in Beijing before gaining entry to Chienchao Air Force School in 1932. Working as a geologist apprentice and later as a geologist, Lin traversed the mountains, valleys, lakes and forests of the U.S. states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Colorado, and Montana, and British Columbia in Canada. On those explorations, which began in 1967 and lasted a decade, he recorded his close encounters with nature, taking numerous extraordinary photographs of tarn lakes, glaciers, valleys shrouded in mist, snowy valleys and icy rocks. "Photography had long been a habit of mine, and I was using very simple equipment," said Professor Lin. A believer in synchronicity, he also affirmed the importance of "catching the very moment." His photographs won him honors in U.S. photography contests in 1977. Many years later in Taiwan, when he was serving as deputy minister of national defense in 2003, he exhibited selected works in Taipei, Tainan, Keelung and Hualien. Many of the people who viewed the exhibitions were impressed by his professional touch. In 1975, at a time when business administration was emerging in the U.S. as the most popular subject for study, Lin earned an MBA from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). His studies in finance helped him to make the shift from his job as a senior geologist in the Denver-based Manville Corp. to a financial analyst at a mining company. But as an enthusiastic music and art lover, Lin said, he felt that something was missing in his life. He began looking for new pursuits, and in 1978 made what proved to be a pivotal decision. The following year, at the age of 36, he quit his job and went back to school, this time with the intention of studying something related to his interests. "I had a romantic perception of international relations, dreaming that with my language ability, I'd get to meet more people of different nationalities who shared my interests, " the professor said with a smile, as he recalled his years at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The eight years of hard work and "subhuman existence, " as Lin described them in his book, also brought rewards. He was awarded a distinction grade for his doctorate thesis on "China's Nuclear Weapons Strategy" and the thesis was published by Lexington Books in 1988. Lin's recollections of his Washington years include lectures by Henry Kissinger on his "absolute security" theory and the experience of working with former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Jeane J. Kirkpatrick. As a scholar at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute and professor at Georgetown University between 1987 and 1995, Lin established his standing as an expert in China affairs. However, in 1995, his life took another major turn when he got married and returned to Taiwan to work for the government. As vice chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council and deputy minister of defense, Lin's analyses and forecasts on mainland affairs and U. S.-Taiwan-China relations were highly valued by academicians and the international media. Today, Lin is a professor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Tamkang University, a position he has held since 2004. Free from the weight of public office, he can now give more attention to his beloved photography, music and contemporary arts. "In the many countries I have visited, I have met politicians, scholars, scientists, and people from all walks of life who embrace music and fine arts to enrich their lives," said the professor. Quoting Swedish statesman Dag Hammarskjold, Lin said "the longest journey is the journey inwards, " adding that his own appreciation of music and fine arts is his journey inwards. "Looking inward, I visualize further exploration of beauty and grace as the journey of life continues," he said. |
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出版書籍/books published (8)
