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

Everest Media

Description

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.
Sample Book Insights:
#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.

Sujets

• Mathematics
• Geometry
• Sciences et techniques
• Non-Euclidean

Informations

• Publié par: Everest Media LLC
• Date de parution: 13 octobre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9798350039108
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

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 1

#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.

#5

I began my formal education when I was five, after taking a test given to everyone planning to attend public schools. I failed the exam because I wrote the number 13 from right to left, which is the Chinese convention, instead of left to right, which is the Western convention.

#6

I was a small and thin kid, and I was often bullied at school. I was constantly thinking about food, and I was always sick because of it. My father decided I should move to a new house in 1955, which was closer to the sea.

#7

My family lived in a house with just two bedrooms. We were ten children, and we all had to live together. The house was flimsily built, and we feared it would be blown apart during big storms.

#8

During the Great Leap Forward, my family struggled to get by. But they were always able to find some sort of joy in the midst of their hardships. They would celebrate the Chinese New Year, for example, by lighting firecrackers and giving each other red envelopes.

#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 was in the sixth grade in Hong Kong when I was assigned to lead a study group. I didn’t know how to prepare for the group’s exam, so I spent my time wandering around the neighborhood instead.

#12

I was not afraid to stand up to the band of ruffians that we then faced. I was not doing anything that could be considered useful, but I was not afraid to do anything at all.

#13

I was lucky to be at Pui Ching, a first-class institution. I spent six years there, which encompassed both middle school and high school. I spoke Cantonese in my classes, but most of my books were in English.

#14

I had some difficulty adjusting to the academically rigorous climate at Pui Ching, as my previous school in Shatin had been populated mainly with farm kids who had more casual attitudes toward academic achievement.

#15

I struggled with music and physical education in my first year of middle school, and I failed both subjects. I retook the music exam in the summer, and this time I passed. But there is still a red mark in my permanent record signifying failure.

#16

I was able to solve some problems on my own, but I was often intimidated by the other students. I was always excited to find out that my problem was similar to one that had stumped other people many centuries ago.

#17

I enjoyed math during my second year at Pui Ching, and did well at it. I struggled with English and music, though. My Chinese literature teacher, Miss Poon, was very strict and gave me a hard time. I decided to become a better student.

#18

My third year at Pui Ching was a disaster. My sister Shing-Hu died of a serious illness, and my father lost his job and his teaching position. We had no money, and my father tried to treat himself with inexpensive Chinese herbs and medicines. Nothing worked, and his health continued to decline.

#19

In 1963, my father was diagnosed with kidney cancer. He went to a hospital for treatment, though we couldn’t afford it. Within a couple of weeks, he could no longer talk. It broke my heart to see such a wise, eloquent man unable to speak.
Insights from Chapter 2

#1

I was thrown into a state of sadness after my father’s death, as I had never before experienced such a feeling. I had to grow up and make decisions for myself, as there was no one to lean on but me.

#2

After my father’s funeral, we had to face our many problems, including the rent, which was many months overdue. Our landlord was compassionate, and knowing that we were destitute, told us we wouldn’t have to pay back the money if we left soon.

#3

I was 14 when my mother decided to keep me in school, despite our lack of resources. I was committed to making my mark in academia, and so was my mother.

#4

I began tutoring in mathematics in 1964, a small step that helped launch me on my current career path. I was about fifteen when I got started, working with kids who weren’t much younger than me.

#5

I began tutoring students, and I was able to make enough money to support my mother and sister. I was able to learn calculus, which was central to much of the work in mathematics and physics.

#6

I had moved to a nicer house in Shatin with my family, and I was glad to see that the servants were treated respectfully there. I had gotten a glimpse of how the other half lived, and I was spoiled by it.

#7

I was able to get into Chung Chi College, part of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, by passing the college placement exam. I was not eligible to take the GCE because I had been educated in Chinese schools, but I still took the exam.

#8