Summary of Shing-Tung Yau's The Shape of a Life

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

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#1 I have been through a number of moves myself, as a child and as an adult. I was born in the southern Chinese town of Swatow, now more commonly known as Shantou, on April 4, 1949. My family moved to Hong Kong about six months later, just before the Communists completed their takeover of the government.

#2 I grew up listening to my father speak Hakkanese, a language not widely heard these days. He was a professor and author who valued intellect, and he made studying hard a priority for his children.

#3 When my father arrived in Hong Kong in 1949, he was a lecturer in history and philosophy at Amoy University in China’s Fujian Province. He had seven people in his family to support, including himself, and he lacked the money to do so.

#4 My father was a highly regarded academician in Hong Kong, but he never managed to get a high-paying position. Because he did not speak English, he could not teach at the British-affiliated schools where better salaries were attainable. Instead, he had to cobble together several jobs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Oct 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9798350039108

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Insights on Shing-Tung Yau's The Shape of a Life

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 3

Insights from Chapter 4

Insights from Chapter 5

Insights from Chapter 6

Insights from Chapter 7

Insights from Chapter 8

Insights from Chapter 9

Insights from Chapter 10

Insights from Chapter 11

Insights from Chapter 12

Insights from Chapter 13

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

I have been through a number of moves myself, both as a child and as an adult. I was born in the southern Chinese town of Swatow, now more commonly known as Shantou, on April 4, 1949. My parents carted me off to Hong Kong about six months later, just before the Communists completed their takeover of the government.

#2

I grew up with the idea that it was important to keep exposing yourself to new sights and ideas, both in the academe and far beyond the confines of the Ivory Tower.

#3

When my father was in his early thirties, he became a lecturer in history and philosophy at Amoy University in China’s Fujian Province. He was a thoughtful, highly educated man, but he lacked business instincts. The farm he had tried to start failed, and all his money was gone.

#4

My father was a highly regarded academician in Hong Kong, but he never managed to get a high-paying position. He had to cobble together several jobs, and because he did not speak English, he could not teach at the British-affiliated schools where better salaries were attainable.

#5

I had to go to a village school, which was reserved for students who were expected to perform poorly. I was given the nickname Little Mushroom because of my small stature.

#6

I was always thin and small for my age, and I was often the runt of the litter. I was often sick during my first year in Shatin, and my father decided to move the following year, in 1955, to a nicer house.

#7

My family lived in a house with just two bedrooms. We were ten children, and we all had to share the same space. We had no running water, so we had to go to a Taoist temple to get our water.

#8

During the Great Chinese Famine, my family struggled to get by, but they always looked forward to holidays. They would temporarily cast aside their pressing concerns and rejoice in the moment.

#9

I benefited from the high expectations my father had for me, even though I did not know how to fulfill them when I was young. I enjoyed sitting in on the discussions my father had with his college-aged students, who often visited our house.

#10

I did well in fifth grade, ranking second in the class. I had not heard or spoken a word of English before, yet something had already happened involving this language that would have a long-standing impact on my life.

#11

I had a very