The Cover of the Chinese edition of our book Aesop - The Complete Fables.We took a taxi across town to see the People's Education Press who are to publish Robert's book THE GENIUS OF CHINA for schools early in 2003. It was pouring with rain as we arrived, nearly an hour late, and we were warmly greeted by the director and editor who led us to a large reception room where the contract was signed. This was followed by a delicious lunch in a nearby restaurant. The Education Minister Madame Chen Zhili has personally written the introduction to the book, which is a great honour. It also has introductory calligraphy by Robert's friend Dr. Song Jian, who is a great scholar and scientist.
The Chinese edition of our book AESOP -THE COMPLETE FABLES was published by Yi Lin Press just before we arrived in China so we were able to give copies as gifts from us both. We enjoyed signing copies and seeing the surprise on people's faces when we handed them a copy. Meetings are rather formal in China and there is great ceremony in handing out business cards beforehand, always with two hands. Everyone greeted me warmly and made me feel very welcome and it was wonderful to meet many people whose names were familiar. We have a wide circle of good friends in China and Robert is very much an 'honorary Chinese'.
Students listening to Robert at Peoples University. The wind box is in the foreground. The girl whose Western name is Cinderella is at the front wearing glasses.I enjoyed attending a lecture that Robert gave at Tsinghua University to a group of students from the Center for Science, Technology, and Society. We took along the old wind box that he bought several years ago as a demonstration of a Chinese invention (the double-action piston bellows) and some of the students remembered such machines being used in their home regions to make popcorn, or in country kitchens. This early form of bellows led to the Chinese invention and manufacture of cast iron.
The students use little electronic dictionaries to look up words they do not understand and are so keen and interested. Afterwards I talked to some of them and they told me their Western names and what their dreams are. They work so hard they deserve success in whatever they do. One student at People's University, where Robert also lectured, told me she had chosen the Western name of Cinderella, "because she was lucky and I would like to be lucky too".
Our secretary Zhang Jing at the Confucian Temple.Robert was the only Westerner to give a paper at a conference hosted by the Academy of Engineering and the Academy of Sciences, and his speech was projected in Mandarin on a huge screen behind him as he spoke. It was translated by our secretary Zhang Jing. He spoke on why the Industrial Revolution didn't take place in China. It was well received and gave a new perspective on Chinese history. The text of his talk is on his website.
For further photos from my trip to China,
please visit my trips section here.