Teaching Chinese Classical Literature for 39 years, Sinologist Sun Kangyi has devoted his life to_1

In June, Sheng Kangyi held a book sharing event for her new autobiography “Running Toward” in Taipei. “My experience in America has mainly been about running,” explained Sheng, an esteemed Sinologist and Yale emeritus professor who turns 80 this year. “I later realized that life is essentially a series of races.”

Sheng Kangyi was born in Beijing in 1944 and moved to Taiwan with her family at the age of two. She obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tunghai University and National Taiwan University. In 1968, at the age of 24, she went to the United States to further her studies, ultimately earning three master’s degrees and a Ph.D. She then began teaching at Yale University, focusing on classical Chinese literature, until her retirement three years ago, after nearly four decades of teaching.

Throughout her life, Sheng has authored numerous works, ranging from studies on classical Chinese poetry to essays and autobiographies reflecting on her life in the United States. This time, she decided to write her autobiography in Chinese, which has its roots in her experience teaching at Yale. For 20 years, due to the demands of her life and career, she primarily communicated in English. In 1988, she suddenly felt a “language crisis” and became concerned about losing her ability to write in her mother tongue. As a result, she instinctively started writing in Chinese, and her “inspiration just kept flowing,” boosting her confidence over time.

In 2003, she published her memoir “Out of the White Terror,” recalling her father’s ten-year imprisonment during Taiwan’s White Terror period and calling it the “first volume” of her life story. Now, with “Running Toward,” she aims to reflect on nearly 60 years in America. “While writing this book in Chinese over the last couple of years, I feel like my Chinese has improved,” she chuckled.

Sheng claims to have a photographic memory, recalling every detail of her past with precision—years, months, and names—during our interview. Afterward, she provided a detailed list of every friend and historical figure mentioned, noting where they appeared in her memoir, showcasing her remarkable organization and memory.

Despite being retired, Sheng maintains correspondence with alumni. Just before the interview, she received an email from Edward Columbia, a 2018 graduate, sharing his acceptance into Yale Law School and expressing gratitude for her recommendation letter. Interestingly, Edward initially aspired to be an artist but found it challenging to sustain a living in that field.

Edward’s struggle mirrors the reality Sheng has often faced throughout her nearly 40-year career in teaching Chinese classical literature. “When I started teaching in the ’80s, the job market was different,” she reflected. “Back then, students focused on academic pursuits and could often find teaching positions. Today, many prioritize fields with greater financial benefits, making paths like classical Chinese literature less appealing.”

She pondered, “If someone with an engineering degree faces unemployment, they can still find a job in their field, but what about us? Are we supposed to become taxi drivers?”

One of her talented white students, who excelled in Chinese debate competitions, once asked her whether pursuing a Ph.D. in East Asian literature would guarantee a teaching job. “I told him I couldn’t provide that assurance,” she recalled with a wry smile. “He ended up going into banking instead.”

Despite the challenges of finding a secure career in this niche academic field, Sheng firmly believes in the value of studying classical Chinese literature. “Almost all of my students express gratitude for the opportunity to learn it,” she insisted. During the global COVID-19 pandemic, as classes transitioned to Zoom, students discovered a sense of calm and healing in classical poetry, including pieces by Tao Yuanming and Du Fu, within her course titled “Man and Nature.”

While not all students who study classical Chinese literature secure long-term stable jobs, those who imbibe its poetic essence are undoubtedly transformed. Sheng reminisced about an online teaching session when a former student’s parent surprised her on Zoom. The parent introduced himself, saying, “Professor, do you remember me? I’m Charlie, and I took your class in the spring of 1984.” It was astounding to realize that decades later, the materials from their time together—an English edition of “Journey to the West”—still remained on Charlie’s bookshelf.

Sheng also insists on grading her students’ assignments herself rather than delegating to graduate students. “I want to know each student personally, which is why I can only enroll 25 students per class.” This commitment underlines the profound impact literature and her teaching have had on her students.

As a Chinese woman, Sheng’s accomplishments in the U.S. are groundbreaking. In 1986, the same year her daughter was born, Sheng earned tenure at Yale, at a time when there were over 600 tenured male professors compared to fewer than 20 female professors.

In academia, she actively promoted gender studies, analyzing female power through classical Chinese literature, and edited “Selections of Women Poets in China: Poetry and Criticism,” which included works from over 200 female writers. She also organized an international symposium titled “Women and Literature in the Ming and Qing Dynasties,” highlighting the over 3,000 female authors who emerged during that period.

One of her popular courses, “Women and Literature,” often garners many students, prompting her to use surveys to select attendees. Beyond literary analysis, Sheng guides her students to explore the broader concept of women’s power. “In this class, I teach about women’s power—not just in monetary or political terms but as a form of moral strength.”

The experience of White Terror has deeply influenced Sheng’s life—not only robbing her father of ten years but also leaving a profound impact on his life post-imprisonment, casting a long shadow over Sheng’s upbringing. Besides discussing it in her memoir, she revisits her encounters with Gu Zhengwen, the secret police officer responsible for her father’s arrest, noting his astonishing lack of remorse for his actions.

“This left a significant impression on me,” Sheng reflected on the concept of “the banality of evil” articulated by philosopher Hannah Arendt, describing how Nazi officers during WWII exhibited no self-reflection while obeying orders to commit atrocities against Jews. “Gu Zhengwen is similar; he believed he was just obeying the KMT and doing his duty for the state. That kind of thinking is truly foolish. At 80, I feel I must document this.”

The dialogue with Gu occurred in 1977, and with two autobiographies now published, does Sheng feel she has truly “moved on” from the White Terror? “It’s not possible to fully escape; how can anyone completely move on from such experiences?” she mused. “But I bear no hatred now.” She credits her ability to coexist with these memories to her faith, stating that as a devout Christian, she reads the Bible daily and approaches life with more gratitude than resentment. “I’ve been running from one stage to another, and reaching 80 is a blessing. But yes, those memories will always remain with me.”

Though she has settled in the U.S., Sheng embraces a broad sense of belonging. “I see myself as a citizen of the world,” she stated. “Wherever I go, that place feels like home. Right now, my home is ‘Qianxuezhai,'” referring to her study at her home in Woodbridge, Connecticut, where she spends significant time reading. Although her siblings are dispersed—her eldest brother has returned to Taiwan, while the youngest splits time between Washington D.C. and China—they stay connected through instant messaging.

Recently, Sheng visited Taiwan for her book launch and attended a conference at the Academia Sinica. Her family there even threw a birthday celebration for her 80th. The biggest change in her retirement life has been stepping away from teaching, but her days remain filled with reading, organizing books, attending academic events, and staying in touch with former students and friends. “Now I finally have time to see the doctor and learn to do my taxes—I’m busier than ever,” she laughed.

In the final section of “Running Toward,” Sheng reflects on a pivotal figure in her life, known affectionately as Gram (Edith Chamberlin). When she first met Gram at age 24 after arriving in America, Gram was nearing 80. Now, as she stands at a similar age, Sheng frequently recalls Gram’s encouragement through a poem called “Epitaph” by Genevieve L. Hutchinson, which has inspired her deeply and wraps up her narrative perfectly:

“I have seen Beauty everywhere
And that is what I came to see.
Life’s day whenever it shall end
Will have been long enough for me…”