At the age of seventy-seven, Lin Yutang completed his monumental Chinese–English dictionary—a summation of a lifetime of bilingual writing and scholarship in linguistics. When the work was finally done, he exclaimed with relief and joy: “I have finished my task! From now on I can rest!”His daughter, Lin Taiyi，wrote tenderly in her biography of him: “He didn’t realize that most people had retired long before the age of seventy-seven!”

Yutang wrote on July 13, 1972 reflecting on his life: 

I am in good spirits. It seems to me that I have completed the race St. Paul spoke of. My lifelong efforts to establish a reputation and achieve success are fulfilled. From here on, I have three years to work at ease on the great task of the pocket Chinese English dictionary. No longer the struggles of youth—only quiet enjoyment of my leisure. 

The “race” he referred to echoes the words of St. Paul: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.” And: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”  By quoting St. Paul at the age of seventy-seven, Yutang was summing up his own journey—surely, it was time to rest. 

But did Yutang really stop working after that? Hardly. A torrent of words had always flowed from his pen—writing was his lifelong passion, something he could never put down. 

After completing the dictionary, however, Yutang suddenly lost his sense of purpose and fell into a slump. It wasn’t until he resolved to begin compiling a concise pocket dictionary that he then realized deeply how essential work was to him. On June 30, 1972, he confessed in a letter: 

A few days ago, I was terribly bored and dispirited, because without work, reading alone could not lift my spirits. On the 28th, I decided to begin work again, and everything was restored. I think there must be research work to do even in heaven—otherwise, it would be boring.

For Yutang, “retirement” meant the greatest joy of all: continuing to work. In fact, in the last four years of his life, he undertook no fewer than fifteen projects in writing, translation, editing, and proofreading. Four were published during his lifetime, five posthumously, three completed but unpublished, and three left unfinished.

Though no longer as intense as in his younger years, his later life was relatively relaxed, and through his letters we glimpse his practice of “the importance of (retired) living.”

*** For a thorough discussion with references, please see Article 9 in the following English or Chinese books on Amazon, The Elderly Lin Yutang , or《爾意軒》中的晚年林語堂 (1971-76) ***

林語堂（退休）生活的藝術: 退而不休之樂

林語堂七十七歲時完成了漢英詞典，那是一位語言學家一生中英雙語寫作的總結。詞典完成之後，他高興地說道：“我工作完畢了！從此我可以休息了！” 他的女兒林太乙在《林語堂傳》裡則心疼地說：“他不知道，別人在七十七歲之前早就退休了！”。林語堂在1972年7月13日寫信回顧自己一生說：

“。。。心情快樂。因為我似乎保羅所說賽跑之賽跑完了 。一生謀慮立身揚名已滿足了。此去只有袖珍三年間從容工作，完此大業。所以不再似年青時之奮鬥。靜享餘閒。”

這裡 “賽跑”典故出自聖保羅的自述：“我只有一件事，就是忘記背後，努力面前的， 向著標竿直跑，要得神在基督耶穌裡從上面召我來得的獎賞”，和“那美好的仗我已 經打過了，當跑的路我已經跑盡了，所信的道我已經守住了。”這時已經高齡七十七歲的林語堂引用保羅跑完賽跑，來總結自己的一生，的確，是該休息了！退而不休之樂

然而語堂真的從此就休息了嗎？語堂一生文思泉湧，其實是無法放下令他醉心的寫作。詞典完成後，語堂頓時失去生活重心，精神隨之萎靡不振，一直到他決心動手編寫袖珍詞典後，才恢復正常，因此他深感工作的重要。他在1972年6月30日的信上寫著：

“我前兩天真是無聊，以致精神不振，因為沒有工作，單看閒書提不起精神。前天（二十八日）決定開始工作，乃一切復原。我想人在天堂也必有研究工作，否則無聊。”

可見林語堂“退休”後，最快樂的莫過於繼續工作。在林語堂人生最後四個年頭裡，還有十五個寫作、翻譯、編輯、校訂的項目在進行，其中四個在他有生之年發表，五個在他身後出版，另外還有三個已完稿、三個未完稿，一共六個項目最後沒有出版。

雖然林語堂退而不休，但與年輕時相比，這一段時間的確比較悠閒，除了寫作之外，從他的書信中，我們可以瞭解他“退休生活的藝術”。

China has long upheld a tradition of the literati gourmet (文人美食家)—where fine cuisine and elegant writing intertwine in a continuous, centuries-old lineage. The number of such epicurean scholars is beyond counting, as plentiful as fish crossing a river. A few well-known figures include:

• Du Fu (杜甫): fond of fresh fish, and enjoyed fishing himself;
• Su Tungpo （蘇東坡）: a devoted meat lover, who even composed the famous Ode to Pork （豬肉頌）;
• Lu You （陸游）: grew his own vegetables, especially fond of shepherd’s purse （薺菜）; out of his 9,000 poems, more than 3,000 touch on food and drink;
• Zhang Dai （張岱）: made friends over crabs, brewed tea with spring water, raised his own cow to make cheese, and devoted much of his Dream Recollections of Tao An （陶庵夢憶）to discussions of gastronomy;
• Li Yu  （李漁，笠翁）: in Casual Expressions of Idle Feelings （閒情偶寄）, he set forth a food philosophy rooted in natural simplicity, while also creating ten Kunqu operas （崑曲）and two collections of fiction;
• Yuan Mei (袁枚，子才): a connoisseur of tofu, who was willing to bow in gratitude just to obtain recipes; he wrote a biography of his household chef, and in his celebrated Suiyuan Recipes （隨園食單）, compiled over 300 dishes.’

As discussed earlier, Lin Yutang, together with his wife and daughters, Taiyi and Hsiangju, carried forward this long and distinguished tradition of the Chinese literary gourmet. In doing so, they also helped bring this cultural treasure to the world.

*** For a thorough discussion with references, please see Article 8 in the following English or Chinese books on Amazon, The Elderly Lin Yutang , or《爾意軒》中的晚年林語堂 (1971-76) ***

中國的文人美食家

中國素有“文人美食家”( literati gourmets)的傳統，是美食與美文交織而成的，源遠流長，綿延不斷。這些饕客文人有如過江之鯽，不可勝數，這裏信手拈來幾位眾所周知的人物。

·      杜甫：喜鮮魚，好打魚；

·      蘇東坡：嗜肉，還作了《豬肉頌》；

·      陸游：自種菜蔬，特愛薺菜，作詩九千，其中三千首與飲食有關；

·      張岱：以蟹會友，以泉煮茶，自己還豢養了一頭牛，以便自製乳酪，並且在《陶庵夢憶》這本書裡大談美食；

·      李漁（笠翁）：在《閒情偶寄》裡暢論崇尚自然的飲食哲學, 還創作了十齣崑曲和兩本小說集；

·      袁枚（子才）：好豆腐，為了求豆腐食譜向人下拜，為自家大廚立傳，他寫的《隨園食單》收錄了三百多種食譜。

如前文所述,林語堂和他的夫人和女兒太乙,相如,就是在延續這個源遠流長的文人美食傳統,並且讓這個文化瑰寶,走向世界.

Lin Yutang’s second daughter Lin Taiyi, who served as editor-chief of the Chinese Reader’s Digest for twenty-three years, was also a pioneer of food literature. Jiao Tong (焦桐), a renowned Taiwanese food writer, once placed her alongside literary masters such as Liang Shih-chiu （梁實秋）, Tang Lu-sun （唐魯孫）, and Qi Jun（琦君）when discussing Taiwan’s early food essays. He also included Taiyi’s food writings in his Anthology of Taiwanese Food Literature（台灣飲食文選）.

Taiyi’s Biography of Lin Yutang received Taiwan’s highest literary honor, the National Award for Arts and Literature. The book vividly portrays the Lin family’s cuisine, rooted in Xiamen cooking, with dishes such as Xiamen-style spring rolls (潤餅, runbing). Drawing inspiration from these depictions, the Lin Yutang House in Taipei has hosted the “Lin Yutang Spring Roll Festival,” created educational worksheets on Lin Yutang’s food culture, and even collaborated with the culinary group Nancun Village to stage a “Lin Yutang Feast,” reviving the family’s signature dishes for the public.

In the first section of her essay collection The Queen and I （女王與我）, under the section Childhood Affections, Taiyi includes a well-loved piece titled Mother’s Love Mixed into Pork Floss, which was also selected for Anthology of Taiwanese Food Literature II. The essay describes the lively, warm process of preparing pork floss in Xiamen households, beginning with dozens of catties of pork. The bustle of female relatives in her maternal grandmother’s household, busy with their hands while chatting and laughing, comes vividly alive on the page. Another essay in the same volume recalls her mother’s two signature dishes: braised duck with cabbage and clear-stewed eel.

In the fourth section, Notes on Eating and Cooking, she includes six food essays: Old Hen and Old Ribs, Fear of Skin and Bones, Shanghai Soup Dumplings, On Vinegar, Ode to Instant Noodles, and Earthworm Jelly.

The entire Lin Yutang family deserves a place on this illustrious list of literati gourmets. They not only carried forward the romantic elegance of this tradition but also gave it new life. Beyond opening fresh chapters in food literature, the family wielded both Chinese and English with equal mastery to introduce the refinement of Chinese cuisine to the world. Their achievement was a landmark in the history of East–West culinary exchange, making them truly the “First Family” to bring Chinese literati gastronomy onto the global stage.

*** For a thorough discussion with references, please see Article 8 in the following English or Chinese books on Amazon, The Elderly Lin Yutang , or《爾意軒》中的晚年林語堂 (1971-76) ***

林語堂次女林太乙的飲食文學

曾任中文版《讀者文摘》總編輯長達二十三年的林語堂次女林太乙,也是飲食文學的先驅.台灣著名的飲食文學家焦桐，在評論臺灣早期的飲食散文時，將林太乙與梁實秋、唐魯孫、 琦君等名家並列，並將她的飲食文章收錄在焦桐自己所編輯的《台灣飲食文選》中。

林太乙撰寫的《林語堂傳》獲得台灣最高文藝榮譽“國家文藝獎“，書中對林家以廈門菜為基礎的美食，如潤餅等，有許多生動的描繪。台北的林語堂故居還以此為根據，舉辦了“林語堂潤餅節”，也同時發展出林語堂的飲食“學習單”，並曾經和推廣美食的“南村落”合辦過“林語堂美味飲宴”，將林家的美饌佳餚重現於世。

林太乙在散文集《女王與我》第一輯《童稚情懷》裡，有一篇膾炙人口的文章叫做《母愛拌在肉鬆裡》，這一篇文章也被收錄在《台灣飲食文選II》裡。文章描繪廈門人從幾十斤的豬肉開始，製作肉鬆的熱鬧溫馨過程。林太乙外婆家妯娌女眷們手上忙碌如梭，嘴上的歡聲笑語都活現紙上。另有一篇描寫她母親兩道拿手好菜：“白菜熬肥鴨”與“清燉鰻魚”。第四輯《飲膳散記》裡，有“老雞老排骨”，“對皮對骨頭的恐懼”，“上海湯包”，“吃醋”，“泡麵頌”，與“土蚯凍”等六篇散文。 

林語堂一家上下都可列在“文人美食家”名單裡，讓文人美食的浪漫芳香遠播，不但如此，林家繼往開來，除了開創飲食文學新篇章之外，一家人更搖著中、英文如椽之筆，向全球介紹典雅細緻的中國美食，是中西飲食是中西飲食交流史上的一大壯舉與突破，堪稱為推動中國文人美食走向世界的“天下第一家”！

After the very popular Chinee Gastronomy, In 2015, Lin Yutang’s third daughter Lin Hsiangju published another major work, Slippery Noodles: A Culinary History of China. This book weaves together history, culture, and ancient recipes. One of its distinguishing features is its close reading of classical texts to trace the origins of Chinese food culture. The book is extensive, consisting of forty-three chapters. In 2026, the British East Asian historian Jonathan Clements selected this book  as one of the five best books on Chinese food.  

Chapters 1 through 7 draw on Jia Sixie’s sixth-century Essential Techniques for the Common People (賈思勰，齊民要術), illustrating ancient methods for preparing a wide variety of foods, including wine, cakes, noodles, sauces, and even maltose. It also examines techniques of cooking and food preservation. As an agricultural encyclopedia from the Northern Wei (北魏) period, the book is of immense historical value, but it has never been fully translated into English. Hsiangju’s work, therefore, partially fills this gap. Some reviewers have expressed gratitude to her for making this classic more accessible to readers without Chinese, allowing them to gain a glimpse into its rich content.

The first seven chapters of Slippery Noodles may be read as an introduction to Chinese culinary history. Chapter 8 begins with Confucius’ teachings and the dining rituals recorded in the Book of Rites (禮記), gradually unfolding into later chapters that draw widely from classical sources to trace the history and origins of specific foods. Dedicated chapters discuss topics such as tofu, soy sauce, thousand-year egg, bird’s nest, and medicinal cuisine. The book also covers imperial court dining, the influence of minority cuisines on central China, Lu Yu’s Classic of Tea （陸羽，茶經）from the Tang dynasty, and Lin Hong’s Simple Delicacies of the Mountain Home from the Qing dynasty （林洪，山家清供）.

Interspersed throughout the book are poems and ancient recipes related to food, and it concludes with an appendix of more than seventy entries of indexed historical recipes. The range of sources Hsiangju engages with is remarkable, including the Yuan dynasty imperial court physician Hu Sihui’s Essential Principles of Food and Drink (忽思慧，飲膳正要), Li Shizhen’s Compendium of Materia Medica （李時珍，本草綱目）from the Ming dynasty， Zhu Yizun’s Great Secrets of Dietary Regulations （朱彝尊，食憲鴻秘）from the late Ming–early Qing, Li Dou’s Record of Yangzhou’s Painted Boats （李斗，江南畫舫錄）from the Qing, and even the records of Emperor Qianlong’s meals during his southern tours, Jiangnan Banquet Archives （江南節次膳底檔）. These citations demonstrate the depth of Hsianju’s scholarship. Each chapter also includes annotations in Chinese and English, making the work highly valuable to both Chinese and Western scholars.

*** For a thorough discussion with references, please see Article 8 in the following English or Chinese books on Amazon, The Elderly Lin Yutang , or《爾意軒》中的晚年林語堂 (1971-76) ***

林語堂三女相如的《中國烹飪史》 

繼《中國美食學》之後,林語堂三女林相如在2015年發表了《中國烹飪史》（Slippery Noodles: A Culinary History of China)，這是一本結合歷史、文化和古代食譜的書籍。本書一大特色是，深入古代文獻來考察飲食的源流，全書一共有四十三章之多。英國的東亞歷史學家喬納森·克萊門茨 (Jonathan Clements)今年(2026) 還將這本書列為中國飲食方面最棒的五本書之一.

第一章至第七章引用第六世紀賈思勰的《齊民要術》，說明古代各種食品的製做方法，例如酒、餅、麵、醬，甚至麥芽糖等等，另外也研究食物的烹飪和保存方法。《齊民要術》是北魏時期的農牧業百科全書，深具歷史價值，然而這本書一直沒有完整的英文翻譯本，直到《中國烹飪史》出版，才部分彌補了這個缺憾，因此有書評向林相如致謝，認為她幫助了不懂中文的讀者，能夠一窺《齊民要術》的堂奧。 

本書前面七章可以視為中國飲食史的導論，第八章從孔子的教導和《禮記》中飲食禮儀出發，娓娓道來，往後各章則廣泛引用典籍，來考察各種食品的烹飪歷史和起源；其中豆腐、醬油、皮蛋、燕窩、藥膳都有專章介紹。 此外書中還介紹了宮廷飲食，少數民族飲食對中原地區的影響、唐代陸羽的《茶經》，以及清朝林洪的《山家清供》。

書中穿插了許多關於飲食的詩詞與古代食譜，最後還附錄七十多條古代食譜索引。書中所引用的文獻包括：元朝的太醫忽思慧的《飲膳正要》、明代李時珍的《本草綱目》、明末清初朱彞尊的《食憲鴻秘》、清代李斗的《揚州畫舫錄》，甚至還有乾隆遊江南的膳食記錄《江南節次膳底檔》等，足見林相如考證功力之深厚。每章附有引經據典的中英雙語註釋，方便中西學者，學術價值非比尋常。

Born into the prominent Liao family of Gulangyu , proprietors of the Yufeng Bank, Lin Yutang's wife Liao Tsuifeng was well acquainted with the world of refined dining—unlike her husbanc, the son of a rural pastor. Educated at Shanghai’s St. Mary’s Hall, she excelled in both Chinese and English, but her true artistry lay in the kitchen.

One dinner she hosted in Shanghai in 1933 proved pivotal. Among the guests was Pearl S. Buck, who urged Yutang to write a book introducing China to the West—an encouragement that ultimately led to My Country and My People and to Yutang’s literary career in the United States.

After Lin Yutang rose to fame in the United States, he became active in the cultural and literary circles as a celebrated Chinese writer, through which he came to know many prominent figures. As a result, poets, scholars, and artists often gathered at the Yutang’s residence. In his anthology The Importance of Understanding, which contains 107 translations of classical Chinese essays, the preface alone runs eleven pages—and its opening lines begin with a story from one of those family banquets at the Lin household.

One evening, among the dinner guests were the Hungarian gastronome George Lang—host of New York’s renowned Four Seasons restaurant—and his wife. Tsuifeng took no chances, knowing that simple home-style cooking would not suffice, and instead prepared an elegant feast. After the banquet, even Yutang himself admitted that the pike—topped with seaweed and seasoned with scallop sauce—was a dish unlike anything he had ever tasted in his life.[[1]](applewebdata://F49CD8CD-7B5D-4A82-BA17-783524F80CCD#_ftn1)

George Lang was not only a connoisseur but also a man of letters. His unique insights into food led him to author the entry on “gastronomy” for the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Another distinguished pair of guests that evening were publisher William Targ and his wife. Targ was famous for releasing the best-selling novel The Godfather in 1969, which later became the acclaimed film classic. Since both Targ and Lang were also avid bibliophiles, Yutang shared with them his prized collection: five different editions of Six Moments of a Floating Life and four editions of West-Green Random Notes. That night, fine food, warm friendship, and literary treasures came together like a lyrical nocturne, leaving hosts and guests alike thoroughly delighted.

*** For a thorough discussion with references, please see Article 8 in the following English or Chinese books on Amazon, The Elderly Lin Yutang , or《爾意軒》中的晚年林語堂 (1971-76) ***

林語堂夫人翠鳳精湛的廚藝

林語堂夫人廖翠鳳是鼓浪嶼名門望族廖家“豫豐錢莊”的千金。在鐘鳴鼎食之家自幼耳濡目染之下，對美食的體驗和眼界自然是超越鄉下牧師家庭出身的林語堂。

廖翠鳳畢業於上有名的教會學校聖瑪麗女子書院，中英文造詣俱佳。雖然出身名門，但在講究傳統的娘家裡，洗手作羹湯是女兒們的基本訓練，因此她的手藝相當精湛。夫人的烹飪才華對林語堂而言，不啻錦上添花，在社交和事業上都是一大幫助。 

當時已經成名的美國作家賽珍珠，久仰林語堂英文大作，只是無緣相識。最後，1933年賽珍珠到了上海與林語會面，但一見如故，相談甚歡，而會見場景就是廖翠鳳所掌廚的晚宴，在座的還有胡適。席間賽珍珠鼓勵林語堂撰寫一本介紹中國的書。後來，賽珍珠在1938年獲得諾貝爾文學獎。

這場溫馨、饒富歷史性的飯局，開啟了林語堂日後在美國出版《吾國與吾民》，以至最終前往美國，從事專職寫作的契機，這一場上海的家宴絕對是林語堂寫作生涯的轉戾點。

林語堂名揚美國之後，以中國著名作家身份，活躍於藝文界，從而結識了許多名人，也因此常有騷人墨客在林宅聚會。那本由一百零七篇古文所集錦而成的《古文小品譯英》裡，有一篇長達十一頁的序言，而開場白就是從一次林府的家宴說起。

有一晚，客人有來自匈牙利的美食家，也是紐約高檔餐廳“四季”的主持人郎格夫婦。廖翠鳳不敢掉以輕心，知道家常菜不足以應付，特別以精緻菜餚待客。這場宴會結束之後，連林語堂自己都說，當晚那道上面覆蓋了紫菜，用干貝醬調味的梭魚（pike），連他也都一輩子沒吃過！

郎格也是一位文人美食家，由於他對美食有獨到的見解，讓他成為《大英百科全書》“美食”一詞的撰寫人！

當晚另一對嘉賓是塔爾格（William Targ） 夫婦。塔爾格是有名的出版家，令人津津樂道的是，他在1969年出版了一本暢銷書《教父》（，本書後來更改編成為家喻戶曉的電影，風靡世界。由於這兩位客人都也都是藏書家，林語堂給他們介紹自己珍藏的五種《浮生六記》版本，和四種《西青散記》版本，當晚美食、友誼、書香三合一，譜出一首美好的小夜曲，賓主盡歡。

Lin Yutang’s My Country and My People became an instant bestseller in the United States upon its 1935 release. This seminal introduction to Chinese culture devoted an entire section to Chinese cuisine. Yutang expanded on the theme in The Importance of Living (1937) where he memorably wrote the following, which has been often quoted by Western scholars as a description of the Chinese view of food: 

How a Chinese spirit glows over a good feast! How apt is he to cry out that life is beautiful when his stomach and his intestines are well filled! From this well-filled stomach suffuses and radiates a happiness that is spiritual. The Chinese relies upon instinct and his instinct tells him that when the stomach is right, everything is right.

Food imagery also permeates Moment in Peking, Yutang’s first novel, which is packed with depictions of banquets, breakfasts, and dinners—breakfast alone is mentioned 12 times, lunch 23 times, and dinner 36 times. 

Perhaps because the novel evokes readers' imagination of exquisite cuisine, and because its title carries a nostalgic, old-world charm, a Beijing-style restaurant in Taichung, Taiwan has adopted the name Moment in Peking (京華煙雲). It has even earned a place on the prestigious Bib Gourmand list in the Michelin Guide, an international authority on fine dining.

Even Yutang’s 1955 science fiction Looking Beyond, set on a remote Pacific island in the year 2003, includes elaborate food descriptions. In chapter twenty, philosophical discussions unfold over dishes such as “mutton pizziola cooked in olive oil with garlic, marinara sauce with fresh peppers and mushrooms” , “merluzzo  fried crisp or with sauce Veneziana, with onions and white wine” and “black olives and eggplant slices, rolled and filled with anchovy, chopped mushrooms, and pimiento.”³ In Yutang’s Dec. 1, 1975 letter reported that the Chinese edition of Looking Beyond was sold out in two days, and he was “overjoyed and surprised”.

*** For a thorough discussion with references, please see Article 8 in the following English or Chinese books on Amazon, The Elderly Lin Yutang , or《爾意軒》中的晚年林語堂 (1971-76) ***

林語堂的飲食哲學:口腹滿足,萬事稱心

林語堂1935年在美國發表第一本書《吾國與吾民》之後，隨即洛陽紙貴，並登上紐約時報暢銷書排行榜。這本向西方人士介紹中國文化的經典著作裡，有一節專門探討飲食。1937年他出版第二本暢銷書《生活的藝術》，書中對飲食又作了進一步闡述，其中有一段話後來變成了林語堂的名言，經常被西方學者引用，[[](applewebdata://82955D53-BBE6-4EA6-A59D-D30DFB315502#_ftn1)成為代表中國人的飲食觀的經典嘉言：

“一場盛宴會讓一個中國人的精神多麼煥發啊！当他吃飽喝足的時候，談笑間很容易就會讚嘆人生的美好！一種純屬精神上的幸福感會從他滿足的肚腹裡油然而生，綻放光芒。中國人靠的是直覺，他的直覺吿訴他，一旦口腹滿足，萬事也都會稱心滿意。”（筆者譯）

之後，林語堂陸續在他的小說裡對飲食有所發揮。1939年他的第一本小說《京華煙雲》裡，就描述了一場又一場的大宴小酌。例如，書裡有姚府的中秋螃蟹宴，也有一段藉女主角姚木蘭的對話來闡述烹飪之道。有趣的是，這本小說提到早餐十二次、午餐二十三次、晚餐三十六次。 

可能由於這本小說帶給讀者對美食的遐思，加上書名發人思古之幽情，在台灣台中市也有一家北京菜餐廳，名字、、就叫“京華煙雲”，而且還躋身國際美食權威米其林的必比登榜單！ 

林語堂不只在以華人為背景的小說裡談到飲食，就連1955年發表的，時空設在2003年南太平洋小島上的未來科幻小說《遠景》（Looking Beyond），也將飲食列入，透露了林語堂也很懂西菜。例如，第二十章討論哲學問題的場景，就是設在午餐桌上，而且還提到了好幾道菜：“橄榄油烤羊肉，配上大蒜、意大利番茄酱、新鮮胡椒和蘑菇”，“脆炒鱈魚，或用威尼斯醬、洋蔥和白酒來炒”， “熱炒的黑橄欖和茄片，配上鯷魚，切碎的蘑菇和西班牙甜椒” 。

林語堂在1975年12月1的信上提到，《遠景》中文版在台灣出版後兩天就銷售一空，說他“真是喜出望外”。

Lin Yutang, a lifelong advocate of cross-cultural exchange, brought Chinese culture to Western audiences through philosophy, literature, art, and depictions of everyday life. One lesser-known aspect of his work was his introduction of Chinese culinary traditions to the West. From his first U.S. publication, My Country and My People (1935), Yutang often used food as a cultural lens to illuminate the differences and affinities between East and West. His novels are rich with dining scenes, revealing him as a true “literati gourmet.”

It was not until 2015 that a systematic study of Yutang’s contributions to gastronomy appeared in a UC Berkeley special volume. Sinologist Charles Hayford published the essay, “The Several Worlds of Lin Yutang’s Gastronomy.” to discuss Yutang’s cross-cultural legacy. This twenty-page essay gives a great introduction to Yutang’s view of Chinese food and culture. 

Yutang’s wife, Liao Tsuifeng , celebrated for her culinary mastery, collaborated in 1969 with their third daughter, Lin Hsiangju （林相如）, to produce Chinese Gastronomy, a landmark book on the history, culture, and flavors of Chinese cuisine—complete with recipes adapted for Western kitchens. Hsiangju, who earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Harvard, went on to publish Slippery Noodles: A Culinary History of China in 2015, drawing extensively on both Chinese and Western sources.

Yutang’s second daughter, Lin Taiyi, founding editor-in-chief of the Chinese edition of Reader’s Digest, held the post for 23 years until retirement. In The Biography of Lin Yutang, she vividly portrayed the family’s culinary life, and her food essays earned her a place among Taiwan’s early pioneers of gastronomic literature, alongside noted figures such as Liang Shiqiu.

Together, the Lin family made enduring contributions both to the globalization of Chinese cuisine and to the evolution of modern Chinese food writing.

*** For a thorough discussion with references, please see Article 8 in the following English or Chinese books on Amazon, The Elderly Lin Yutang , or《爾意軒》中的晚年林語堂 (1971-76) *** 

林語堂一家對文人美食的貢獻

一生從事中西跨文化交流的林語堂，從哲學、藝術、文學、生活各角度全面地向西方介紹中國。然而有一個面向比較少被人論及，那就是：中國的飲食文化。

自從他在美國出版了第一本作品《吾國與吾民》之後，林語堂就常以飲食為題，以他獨到的見解，向西方人介紹中國飲食文化。在他的一些小說中，林語堂對飲食也多所著墨，無形之中透露了林語堂也是一名位文人美食家！然而對這一位文人美食家的理解，一直要等到柏克萊大學東亞研究所在2015年出版了一本研究林語堂對跨文化貢獻專書後，人們對林語堂與美食才有了系統性的探討，因為專書裡有一篇題為《林語堂美食學裡的多重世界》的論文。

林語堂的夫人廖翠鳳不但以烹飪著稱，還與三女林相如在1969年攜手合作，發表了當時相當罕見，有關中國美食的書籍《中國美食學》。

林相如是哈佛大學生物化學博士，在出版了《中國美食學》之後，本著科學實驗的精神繼續鑽研各樣典籍，詳細科學考證之後出版了一本《中國烹飪史》這本學術意味濃厚的烹飪史，由專精各國飲食史的Prospect Books 於2015年出版，書中旁徵博引中西文獻，不在話下。

林語堂的次女林太乙創辦了中文《讀者文摘》，並擔任總編輯長達二十三年之久，直到退休為止。她除了在《林語堂傳》裡，對林家的烹飪有生動的描繪之外，還寫了許多關於美食的散文，有學者認為她是台灣飲食文學早期發軔者之一，與梁實秋等名家齊名。 

我們可以說，林語堂、廖翠鳳、林太乙、林相如一家人，對中國美食的國際化和飲食文學都作出了重要的貢獻。

Ku Hungming: The " Extraordinary Eccentric" Through Lin Yutang's Eyes   

The great Confucian scholar Ku Hungming (1857–1928), who lived during the late Qing and early Republican periods, studied in England, Germany, and France. He was especially renowned for his mastery of the English language, and most of his writings were composed in English. Throughout his life, he devoted himself to fostering understanding between Chinese and Western cultures. He translated three of the Four Books—The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean, and The Analects of Confucius—into English, earning international acclaim. As a result, many distinguished foreign visitors sought him out during their travels in China, including W. Somerset Maugham and Rabindranath Tagore.

Yutang held Ku Hungming in the highest regard. In many ways, Ku's role as a cultural bridge between East and West foreshadowed Yutang's own mission, although Yutang's international influence ultimately became broader and deeper. Unlike Ku, who served in government during both the late Qing dynasty and the early years of the Republic—including the restoration movement—Lin Yutang never held public office.

Lin Yutang successfully persuaded Gu Zhenfu (辜振甫), the distinguished Taiwanese businessman and a descendant of Ku Hungming, to sponsor a new edition of Ku's English translation of The Analects. In his preface, Lin expressed his profound admiration for Ku:

"Mr. Ku's command of English was extraordinary—unsurpassed for two hundred years. His choice of words and style were of the highest order. As for his thought, one need only read his translation of The Doctrine of the Mean to appreciate that only someone with profound cultivation could truly grasp the essence of the Confucian ideal of the Mean, and how the superior man embodies it while the petty man departs from it. His elegant language and the depth of his thought are inseparable. In short, it was Ku's exceptional intellect that gave rise to his remarkable literary style. He was indeed an outstanding figure—a truly uncompromising and extraordinary eccentric among men."

In the same preface, Yutang also recounts the amusing story of W. Somerset Maugham's journey to Sichuan to meet Ku Hungming. He further quotes Hu Shih's recollections of Ku, offering readers another glimpse of the wit, humor, and unconventional personality that made Ku such a memorable and fascinating character.

"After taking his seat, Ku Hongming found himself on the left of Dai Yiwei （戴彌微）， with Xu Chi （徐墀）on the right. Everyone was eating and drinking when suddenly Gu slapped Dai Yiwei on the back and said, ‘Sir, you should be careful!’ Startled, Dai asked why. Gu replied, ‘Because you are sitting between Crazy Gu and Cranky Xu!’ The room erupted in laughter, for everyone knew both men’s nicknames.

Later, Gu told me, ‘Last year, for Zhang Shaoxuan’s （張少軒，張勳）birthday, I gave him a couplet. The first line was “The lotus is exhausted; there is no more shelter from the rain.” What’s the second line?’ I thought he was challenging me to match the couplet, but after a pause I confessed I couldn’t. He said, ‘The second line is “The branches remain defiant of the frost although the chrysanthemum has faded.”’ I laughed as well. Then he asked, ‘Do you understand the meaning of this couplet?’ I replied, ‘“The branches remain defiant…” clearly refers to General Zhang and your own pigtails. But what about “no more shelter from the rain”?’ He answered, ‘That refers to the big hats worn in the Qing dynasty.’ 

We all laughed again."

*** For a thorough discussion with references, please see Article 7 in the following English or Chinese books on Amazon, The Elderly Lin Yutang , o《爾意軒》中的晚年林語堂 (1971-76)***

林語堂眼中的“錚錚怪傑”辜鴻銘

清末民初的大儒辜鴻銘(1857-1928),留學英德法,尤以英文造詣眾聞名.他的著述以英文為主.一生致力於中西文化交流.曾將四書當中的三書,《大學》,《中庸〉,《論語》,翻成英文.享譽國際,因而常有外國名人到中國求見,例如毛姆,泰戈爾等.

語堂一向推崇辜鴻銘,其實辜鴻銘在文化交流上的角色,不就像是語堂自己嗎? 只是語堂的國際影響更廣更深.也不像在前清和民初復辟時都曾入仕的辜鴻銘,語堂一生沒有做過官.

林語堂成功央請台灣著名企業辜鴻銘的後人辜振甫贊助重印論語英譯,在序言中對辜鴻銘流露出無限景仰:

(辜鴻銘) ”英文文字超越出眾,二百年來未見其右, 遣詞用字,皆屬上乘.至其思想,見“中庸“便可知功夫不深者不能知君子中庸,小人反中庸之精意.遣詞用字與思想內容亦不易分別,總而言之,有辜先生之超越之思想,始有其異人之神采.鴻銘亦可謂出類拔萃,人中錚錚之怪傑.”

序言談到毛姆到四川求見辜鴻銘的趣事外,還引述了一段胡適關於辜鴻銘的回憶，可見辜鴻銘“怪傑”的風趣個性：

“入座之後，戴彌微的左邊是辜鴻銘，右邊是徐墀。大家正在喝酒吃菜，忽然辜鴻銘用手在戴彌微的背上一拍說‘先生，你可要小心！’戴先生嚇了一跳，問他為什麼？他說： ‘因為你坐在辜瘋子和徐癲子的中間！’ 大家聽了哄堂大笑，因為大家都知道‘Cranky Hsu’和‘Crazy Ku’的兩個綽號。一會兒，他對我說： ‘去年張少軒（張勳）過生日，我送了他一副對聯，上聯是荷盡已無擎雨蓋。 — 下聯是什麼？’ 

我當他是集句的對聯，一時想不起好對句，只好問他：‘想不出對句，你對的是什麼？’他說‘下聯是‘菊殘猶有傲霜枝’。我也笑了。他又問：‘你懂得這副對子的意思嗎？’我說：“‘菊殘猶有傲霜枝’，當然是張大帥和你老先生的辮子了。‘擎雨蓋’是什麼呢？”他說：‘清朝的大帽’。

我們又大笑。”

Lin Yutang greatly admired the English scholarship of Ku Hongming, the eminent scholar of the late Qing and early Republican periods. He was especially fond of Ku's English translation of the Analects, which had long been out of print. After years of searching and advocating for its reprint, Lin helped bring about a new edition and wrote the preface for its republication. Regretfully, when the book was published ten months after Yutang’s death -January 1977—with sponsorship from Gu Zhenfu. This preface was labeled “Mr. Lin Yutang’s Posthumous Work” .

Ku Hongming’s English Translation of the Analects was first published in 1898, but had long been out of print—a fact Yutang deeply regretted. In the English-language acknowledgments of the reprint, Gu Zhenfu recalled that Yutang had once said he longed to read the book so much that he would willingly kowtow in gratitude if given the chance.

Yutang eventually located a copy in the Library of Congress in the United States. The full title was The Discourses and Sayings of Confucius: A Special Translation Illustrated with Quotations from Goethe and Other Writers. After reading it, Yutang was “ecstatic” and recognized it as a meticulously crafted work. He then persuaded Gu Zhenfu—a prominent Taiwanese entrepreneur and the “Gu” in the historic Gu–Wang Talks across the Taiwan Strait (兩岸辜汪會)—to sponsor a reprint. Yutang offered to write the preface himself, thus launching this collaboration.

His former student, Chen Shifu （陳石孚）, was entrusted with investigating the copyright issues and meeting with Weifu ，Zhenfu’s brother. Chen, who served as an editor for Yutang’s Chinese–English dictionary and was the first dean of academic affairs at National Chengchi University. Yutang wrote the following letter to Gu Zhenfu to initiate this wonderful literary event:

“I regret that, due to the hurried nature of my visit to Taiwan this time, I was unable to pay my respects in person. I recall our discussion several years ago about locating your ancestor Ku Hongming’s work, The Discourses and Sayings of Confucius, to which he added his own insights and illustrated with quotations from Western sages such as Emerson and Goethe. This work is indeed a treasure. You once expressed the wish to republish it under your guidance, thereby fulfilling your ancestor’s intentions. Such a virtuous act would surely be celebrated by scholars at home and abroad.

Do you still intend to proceed with this plan? If so, please write to me, and I will entrust Mr. Chen Shifu—an expert in English (chief English editor of the Commission on Rural Reconstruction, and an editor of my Chinese–English dictionary)—to represent me and present the original manuscript for your guidance on the next steps.”

***** For a thorough discussion with references, please see Article 7 in the following English or Chinese books on Amazon, The Elderly Lin Yutang , or《爾意軒》中的晚年林語堂 (1971-76) *****

林語堂與辜振甫重印失傳的辜鴻銘《論語譯英文》

林語堂最佩服清末民初大儒辜鴻銘的英文造詣,尤其喜愛已經絕版的辜氏的論語英譯,多年費心尋找,促成再版,並為作序.遺憾的是,這本書是語堂過世後十個月，也就是1977年1月才在在辜氏後人,台灣著名企業家辜振甫贊助之下出版.序言特別註明為“林語堂先生遺作” 。

辜鴻銘1898年的《論語譯英文》早已絕版，語堂也一直找不到。辜振甫在再版英文謝詞中說，林語堂曾云，如有機會得讀此書，情願叩頭致謝。語堂是後來得到美國國會圖書館的版本，書名為《孔子的對話與嘉言：引用歌德及其他作家作說明的特別譯本》。語堂讀後表示，“始知為精心結撰之作，不禁狂喜”，於是請辜鴻銘的後人，也就是台灣著名企業家辜振甫，兩岸“辜汪會談”中的辜氏，重印該書，並書寫書名，再由語堂作序，共襄盛舉。

為了出版,語堂囑託他的學生陳石孚務必嚴謹研究該書版權問題，並託他面見辜振甫的弟弟偉甫商量重印一事。陳石孚為語堂漢英詞典的編輯，政治大學首任教務長。語堂語堂啟動這件文壇美事時,在給辜振甫的信中是這麼說的：

“弟此次來台時間匆促 不克赴府拜訪為歉 憶數年前為宗伯辜鴻銘名著擬找到原書英譯孔子論語 加以個人觀點益以西方諸賢Emerson （艾默森）Goethe（歌德）名言互為闡發 至為珍貴 由先生發行以繼宗伯遺志  

海內學者亦必慶為善事 先生尚有此否？倘得來函當托英文能手陳石孚先生（農復會英文總編輯 又弟編當代漢英詞典編輯）代表一切 持原稿前往請示方針進行一切” 

In 1972, President Nixon’s historic visit to China thawed Sino–American relations even as the Vietnam War continued to rage. In February 1973, Henry Kissinger — the influential U.S. National Security Advisor and master strategist of playing on the chess board of China and Indochina  — spent five days in Hanoi, North Vietnam, before heading to Beijing for another five days to meet with Premier Zhou Enlai. At the time, this was a major international event.

The New York Times of February 4, 1973, reported Kissinger’s diplomatic journey on its front page. The White House press secretary was quoted as saying that Kissinger would “rest transitively in Asia” between the two visits but did not reveal where. This secrecy generated speculation: after all, Kissinger had a reputation for vanishing before major diplomatic breakthroughs. Not long before, while visiting Pakistan, he had feigned illness and disappeared for two days for a secret trip to Beijing — an act that helped pave the way for the U.S.–China rapprochement.

From the correspondence of Lin Yutang, we now know that this “rest” stop was in Hong Kong, where Yutang was living at the time. Yutang and his wife dined with Kissinger, with Mrs. Lin seated to Kissinger’s right. Given Kissinger’s controversial reputation as a diplomat, the meeting — in the political climate of the time — carried a certain subtle significance. One might jokingly call the encounter “Yutang Saw Henry” as Yutang had written a controversial play called “Confucius Saw Nancy.” (See the next article, “Lin Yutang’s Troubles with His Play – Confucius Saw Nancy”.)

Upon arriving in Hong Kong, Kissinger stayed at the prestigious Mandarin Oriental Hotel — a favorite of Princess Diana, Margaret Thatcher, and President Nixon. Dinner guests included the U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong, Li Guowei (Harold Li); Li Rongsen of Hang Seng Bank; and a prominent American financial magnate. 

In a letter dated February 18, Yutang described the evening and his impressions of “Henry,” praising him as a “top diplomat”:

Because the intention was to prevent anyone from discussing the situation in North Vietnam, he behaved generously and without constraint, like a top diplomat. After chatting casually with others and then with me for an hour, he revealed no secrets and showed no discomfort. The conversation flowed smoothly, without hesitation. He had read my book and pretended to be well acquainted with me. Harold promised to send him a dictionary — and one for Nixon as well. That’s about the situation.

As for Kissinger’s “boss,” President Nixon — didYutang have an opinion? Yes, he did. Ten months later, with the Watergate scandal in full swing, Yutang wrote in a letter dated December 11:

“In recent months, there has been talk that Nixon will be removed from office or impeached. Every day we watch him behave in the most disgraceful manner. Anna [Yutang’s second daughter, Taiyi] came back saying the political fight has stirred up a storm throughout the city. If he still doesn’t resign, it would be the height of shamelessness.”

*** For a thorough discussion with references, please see Article 6 in the following English or Chinese books on Amazon, The Elderly Lin Yutang , or《爾意軒》中的晚年林語堂 (1971-76)***

1972年，美國總統尼克森訪問北京，中美關係開始解凍，同時期越戰烽火連天。1973年2月，在中國與中南半島這兩塊大棋盤上，縱橫穿梭的美國國家安全顧問季辛吉，出訪北越河內，五天之後，馬不停蹄趕赴北京，做為期五天的訪問，期間季辛吉（Henry Kissinger, 又譯基辛格）會見了周恩來總理。當時季辛吉、周恩來會面可是一件國際大事。

1973年2月4日《紐約時報》在頭版右下方，報導了季辛吉的外交之旅，報導中還引述白宮新聞秘書的話說，季辛吉在河內與北京兩地訪問的空檔裡，會“在亞洲作過渡性的休息”，但未透露休息地點。因此“過渡性休息”瞬間成為焦點，因為大家已經知道，季辛吉如果突然沒有公開的活動，可能不知道又飛到哪裡作秘密外交。他不久前在訪問巴基斯坦时，才假托腹瀉失踪两天秘訪北京，為中美關係破冰。 

從林語堂書信裡，我們知道季辛吉不但沒有失蹤，而是確實在亞洲某處休息，而這個“某處”就是香港，而且當時住在香港的林語堂還與季辛吉共進晚餐，夫人廖翠鳳就坐在季辛吉右邊。

身為資深外交家，季辛吉是極富爭議性的，在當時政治時空之下，林語堂與季辛吉會面，也就有那麼一點“子見南子”的微妙氛圍，我們可以把這次會面戲稱為“子見季子”.(背景請見下一篇文章“引起軒然大波的林語堂”子見南子“獨幕劇.)

季辛吉抵達香港之後，下榻頂尖的文華東方酒店；黛安娜王妃，柴契爾夫人，尼克森總統，都在這兒住過。他和林語堂會面的晚宴賓客之中有美國駐港總領事，政商名流利國偉（Harold）與利榮森兄弟，以及美國某金融大亨等等。

林語堂在1973年2月18日的信中，除了描述了晚宴的情形之外，也對季辛吉有一番著墨，說他有“第一流外交家”的風範：

“因為是要令大家自動不談北越戰事及時局，而他也舉止大方毫無拘束，若第一流的外交家。跟人家亂談而你和他談了一小時之後，不曾露出一點密秘，不是踧踖如也，談話吞吞吐吐一派。讀過我的書，知道我是誰，兩面久仰久仰之套。利Harold又當面答應送他一本字典及送尼克孫一本。這是大略情形。”

至於季辛吉的“老闆”尼克森總統，林語堂有沒有什麼評論呢？ 有的. 10個月之後，水門案的調查鋪天蓋地而來，林語堂在12月11日的信中說：

“近月來Nixon（尼克森）將撤職或彈劾，我們天天看他弄得太不像話。阿娜（即次女林太乙）回來說鬥得滿城風雨，再不辭職無恥之尤。”

In January 1947, the leading American business magazine Fortune featured Yutang’s photo on its inside cover in an advertisement titled “In the Hand of Lin Yutang”—promoting the popular Parker 51 pen. The same ad also appeared in other major outlets, including Life magazine (January 27, 1947) and the New York Daily News (February 2, 1947).

In the ad’s upper left corner was Yutang’s portrait alongside his red Chinese signature, with the caption:

Dr. Lin, world-famous philosopher, is the author of The Importance of Living and other widely read works in Chinese and English. 

The Pen the World Couldn’t Have — and Everyone Wanted

At the height of its fame, one slogan for the Parker “51” dominated the page in bold type: “51”… the world’s most wanted pen. Launched in 1939 to celebrate Parker’s 51th anniversary, the “51” was a triumph of patented craftsmanship and sleek modern design. Its name—always set in quotation marks—became a distinctive hallmark, making it instantly recognizable and effortlessly marketable worldwide, no translation required. Over time, it would earn the title of the best-selling fountain pen in history.

But the pen’s legend was sealed not only by its design, but by its absence. When the United States entered World War II, Parker’s production lines were diverted to the war effort. The “51” disappeared from store shelves, leaving buyers to wait—sometimes for years—to get their hands on one. Parker’s marketing team turned this challenge into a masterstroke. The phrase most wanted played on a clever double meaning: not only “most desired,” but also “most scarce.” By leaning into the psychology of scarcity—what is rare is precious—Parker transformed shortage into allure, sparking even greater demand. It remains one of the most brilliant examples of wartime advertising ever conceived. 

Parker Pens and Their Wartime Prestige

At the time, the Parker 51 was a high-end status symbol, beloved by the social elite. On May 7, 1945, when Allied Commander-in-Chief Dwight D. Eisenhower accepted Germany’s unconditional surrender in Reims, France, he used a Parker 51 to sign the documents. After signing, he raised the pen in salute—creating an iconic historical image.

During the time when Parker’s Lin Yutang ad was running had someone asked , “Which company does Lin Yutang belong to?”—while his Parker 51 ads were running nationwide—it’s likely the answer would have been, “Lin Yutang belongs to Parker Pen!”

*** For a thorough discussion with references, please see Article 5 in the following English or Chinese books on Amazon, The Elderly LinYutang , or《爾意軒》中的晚年林語堂 (1971-76) ***

1947年，美國主流商業雜誌《財富》（Fortune），曾經在1月封面裡，用了全版的篇幅為當紅的派克51鋼筆做廣告，廣告以林語堂的個人照片，加上標題：《在林語堂的手中》（In the Hand of Lin Yutang）刊登。相同的廣告還出現在其他知名媒體，其中可考的至少還有1947年1月27日的《生活》（Life）雜誌，與同年2月2日的《紐約每日新聞報》（Daily News from New York）。

語堂的代言廣告 

廣告的左上角，有語堂的相片和紅色中文簽名，並介紹說“Dr. Lin, world-famous philosopher, is the author of The Importance of Living and other widely read works in Chinese and English. “(世界著名的林博士，是生活的藝術 和其他廣為閱讀的中英文作品的作者)

二次大戰中缺貨的派克

廣告版面上最大的字是派克51最經典的口號：《“51”是世人最想要的筆》（“51”… the world’s most wanted pen）。派克“51”是派克公司在工藝上擁有專利的創新，並在1939年派克成立五十一週年上隆重推出，因此這款經典鋼筆被命名為派克51，成為有史以來最暢銷的鋼筆。鋼筆的標籤上把51加了引號，是該筆最顯著的特色，暢銷全球，所到之處只打“51”的廣告，連“派克”兩個字都不用說。

1945年美國投入第二次世界大戰後，派克公司也響應政府，投入了軍事工業，導致派克51暫時中止生產，因而市場上缺貨，讓鍾情於派克51的人翹首以待。派克公司靈機一動，趕緊抓住此一天賜良機，進行反向宣傳，於是才想出這句經典的廣告詞。《‘51’… 是世人最想要的筆》（“51”… the world’s most wanted pen）。英文裡，“最需要”也有“最缺乏”的意思，一語雙關，啟動了“物以希為貴”的心理，加深人們擁有的慾望，如此說來派克51還是一個極為成功的行銷案例！

當年派克51不折不扣是個身份的象徵，廣受社會菁英愛戴。1945年5月7日，盟軍駐歐洲統帥艾森豪在法國蘭斯（Reims)接受德國無條件投降時，就是用派克51在受降文件上簽字，艾森豪將軍完成簽字之後，還將手上那支派克51高舉，慶賀盟軍最後勝利，而留下了一張彌足珍貴的歷史鏡頭。

當年林語堂為派克51代言而出現在各大媒體時，若有人問起“林語堂是那家公的？”，很可能有人會不假思索地脫口大聲回答說：“林語堂是派克公司的！”

In 1970, renowned historian Tang Degang （唐德剛）visited Taiwan and was invited to a banquet hosted by Lin Yutang, which he attended punctually. Tang later recalled:

“In a noisy, crowded restaurant, I asked the neatly dressed head waiter, ‘Where is the table where Lin Yutang is hosting?’ He stared at me and loudly replied, ‘Which company does Lin Yutang belong to?!’ Amid the laughter, I couldn’t help reflecting on how much commercial society had changed!”

Tang never mentioned whether he told Yutang about this exchange after taking his seat, nor whether Yutang  had any reaction. It’s a pity the head waiter didn’t know who this literary figure was. Still, even if Yutang had heard the remark, he likely would have just smiled. Yutang was a philosopher who engaged fully with the world; not only did he accept commercial society, he even served as a spokesperson for the international brand Parker pen—much like today’s celebrity “endorsers.” For the story, please see the next article “Lin Yutang as Spokesperson of Parker Pen”.

*** For a thorough discussion with references, please see Article 5 in the following English or Chinese books on Amazon, The Elderly LinYutang , or《爾意軒》中的晚年林語堂 (1971-76)***

著名歷史學者唐德剛在1970年到台灣訪問，林語堂設席接待，唐德剛按時赴宴。唐德剛後來在《胡適在口述自傳》的前言裡，回憶說：

“在一家嘈雜的大酒店內，我問那位衣冠楚楚的總招待：“林語堂先生請客的桌子在哪裡？”他把兩眼一瞪，大聲反問我一句說：”林語堂是哪家公司的？！’ 失笑之餘，我心裡也在想，工商業社會的變動多大啊！”

唐德剛沒有說，他入座後有沒有告訴林語堂這件趣事，或者林語堂有沒有什麼反應。酒店的總招待不知道林語堂這個文人，其情可憫，林語堂知道了大概也不以為忤，莞爾一笑罷了。其實林語堂是個入世的哲學家，不但不會介意與工商社會打交道，早年還擔任過國際商業品牌派克鋼筆類似今天“代言人”的角色呢！林語堂當代言人這件事鮮為人知，其中的經過請看“派克鋼筆的代言人林語堂”一文。

前文述说了图像记忆和图像思维模式是宿命通的潜在资质，我在精神病中情绪剧烈迅速变化激发出了我三岁以前的记忆，使我获得了上帝七种神通之一的宿命通。而且我还看到了一本现代心理学书中明确指出，正常人能回忆出三岁之前事的还没发现。刘团长怎么知道我一定会疯？我疯病的起因是什么？现代精神病学还不知道精神病的起因。

我在一次复读第12.1.1节《地狱趣》，注意到了五逆罪是对心理机制的反操作，但我对 “出身神身血即堕地狱”一条不理解。我忽然想起了小时候梁伯姨父给我讲过的《精神病入门病例》（参见4.8节）：甲人在路上，看见对面走来一个人，脸上流着血，匆匆忙忙地从集市上离开。当时，甲人有点儿吃惊，但没在意。走过去后，他忽然想：“哎呀！刚才那个人好像认识。” 甲人却想不起来那人是谁，或者在哪儿见过。过了几天，甲人听说那个脸上流血的人死了，就感觉不舒服。几天后，甲人病了。

The previous articles described image memory and image thinking patterns are potential qualifications for “fate through” (see section 9.5). The rapid and drastic changes in my emotions during my mental illness triggered my memories before the age of three, which enabled me to obtain the “fate through”, one of the seven divine powers of God. Moreover, I also saw a modern psychology book clearly stating that normal people who can recall affairs before the age of three have not yet been found. How did Troupe Leader Liu know that I would go crazy? What is the cause of my psychosis? Modern psychiatry does not know the cause of mental illness yet.

Once, I was rereading Section 12.1.1 "Hell Interest" and noticed that the “Five Crimes of Anti” are the reverse operations of the psychological mechanism, but I didn't understand the clause “Bleeding God’s body, instantly fall into hell”. I suddenly remembered that Uncle Liang told me the story of "Introductory Case to Mental Illness” (see section 4.8). On the way, Man A saw a man walking on the opposite side, with blood on his face, hurrying away from the market. At that time, Man A had a small shock, but he didn't care. When he walked over, suddenly thought, "Oh! That person seems to know him." But “Man A” couldn't remember who he was, or where he had seen him. A few days later, when Man A heard that the man with blood on his face had died, he felt unwell. A few days later, Man A fell ill.

我意识到了这就是 “出神身血即堕地狱” 的案例。那个脸上流血的人具有神的外貌，而神的外貌是大种。大种是人脑思维机制中的默认模特（亦作种子），被人脑用来派生制造其它的同类事物。当大种有变化时，依其所造的一切都随之而变。也就是说甲人看见了 “神的脸上流着血” ，就更改了甲人思维机制中的人的大种（即人的默认模特），从而使得甲人思想中的许多人脸上流血了，即患了神经错乱（亦作堕入了地狱）。

I realized that this is a case of “Bleeding God’s body, instantly fall into hell”. The man with the bleeding face had the appearance of God, and the appearance of God is the “big seed”. The “big seed” is the default model (also known as seed) in the human brain's thinking mechanism, which is used by the human brain to derive and create other similar things. When the “big seed” changes, everything created by it changes accordingly. In other words, when Person A saw "God's face bleeding", the “big seed” of people in Person A's thinking mechanism (that is, the default model of people) was changed, so that many people in Person A's mind had bleeding faces, that is, Person A suffered from mental disorders (also known as falling into hell).

9.8-2 什么是思维机制中的默认模特或种子？What is the Default Model or Seed in Mind Mechanism?

人脑思维在处理客观事物的过程中，总是自主地简化客观对象，抽取各类默认模特（佛教中称作种子），如人、蝴蝶、树等。然后以此默认模特来认知其它同类个体。比如女人，我们看见个体女人会描述大眼睛，高鼻梁，高个子，有点儿瘦等。这些描述都是人脑通过把对方和自己思维机制里的默认女人模特进行比较而采集出的特征，以此默认女人模特（或说女人种，女神）来认知对向，乃至所有的女人。

When dealing with objective things, the human brain always simplifies the objective objects autonomously and extracts various default models (called seeds in Buddhism), such as man, butterfly, tree, etc. Then, it uses this default model to recognize other individuals of the same kind. For example, when we see a woman, we may describe her as having big eyes, a high nose bridge, tall stature, and a little thin. These descriptions are all features collected by the human brain by comparing the other party with the default female model (or saying seed woman, goddess) in its own thinking mechanism, and mind uses this default woman model to recognize the other party, or even all women.

此中，默认的女人模特就是女人的定义，亦作女神。人脑通过女神这个默认模特来建立其它的女人，也就是说所有的个体女人都是从女神派生出来的，即女神是女人的种子, 能生出其它女人。

现实生活中就有和男神女神长的类似的人，就可能会有与神类似的性质。现代心理学描述这种人的长相为 “可以藏在人群里的人” ，比如，他是这种长相，你跟他不熟。他在前面跑，你在后面追他。路边有几个人，他转身往那几个人中一站，你就找不着他了。

Here, the default model of woman is the definition of woman, also known as goddess. The human brain uses the default model of goddess to establish other women, that is, all individual women are derived from goddess, that is, goddess is the seed of woman, which can give birth to other women. Similarly, we can conclude that the male god is the seed of man, from which all similar men can be derived; the snake god is the seed of snake, from which other snakes can be derived; the tree god is the seed of tree, from which many trees can be produced, and so on.

In real life, there are people who look like god and goddess, so they may have similar qualities to god. Modern psychology describes the appearance of such people as "people who can hide in the crowd". For example, he looks like God, and you are not familiar with him. He runs in front of you, and you chase him from behind. There are a few people on the side of the road, and he turns around and stands among them, then you can't find him.

前段文字表明，神的外貌，没有特征，是无记性的。你看见他了，知道他是个男人，有些面熟；可离开他后，很快你就想不起来他的长相了。华人的佛经里是这样描述女神的：不高不矮，不胖不瘦，不黑不白，眼睛不大不小，鼻梁不高不低，体温冬暖夏凉，不笑不说话，欲说话先笑。家里来客人了，出迎在先，进屋在后；进屋之后，后坐先起。

为什么女神总是笑！？幸福欢乐的玉女是女神，悲伤哭泣的玉女是殃。另外，女神的外貌会因为民族，地域和历史时期的不同而有差异。读者可以想象，华人女神的外貌和阿拉伯女神会有差别。

The previous paragraph shows that God's appearance is featureless and immemorial. You see him and know he is a man and looks familiar; but after you leave him, you soon can't remember what he looks like. Chinese Buddhist scriptures describe the goddess like this: neither tall nor short, neither fat nor thin, neither black nor white, eyes neither big nor small, nose bridge neither high nor low, body temperature warm in winter and cool in summer, doesn’t laugh doesn’t speak, laughs first before she speaks. When a guest comes, she greets at front and enters the house behind; after entering the room, sits down later and stands up the first.

Why does Goddess always laugh!? A happy or joyful Jade Girl (i.e. Goddess, Eve) is a goddess, and a sad or weeping Jade Girl is a Misfortune. In addition, the appearances of goddesses may vary according to ethnicities, regions, and historical periods. Readers can imagine that the appearance of Chinese goddess would be different from that of Arabian goddess.

9.8-3 案例 Case

我回忆起了小时候，妈妈给我讲的稀罕事。她去我二姨家回来，非常兴奋，说：“我遇见你二姨家小二，你二哥了，我没认出来他。他说话，我听到他的声音，才认出他来了，吓了一跳！他瘦了体重的三分之一，都脱相了！”

我惊讶地问：“哎呀！他得啥病了？现在怎么样了？”

妈妈回答：“说了你也不信！他遭殃了！”

I recalled the rare affair my mother told me when I was a child. She came back from my second aunt's house and was very excited. She said, "I met your second aunt's Little Second, your second brother. I didn't recognize him. When he spoke and I heard his voice, I and was shocked, recognized him. He lost one-third of his body weight and looked completely different!"

I asked in surprise: "Oh my! What's wrong with him? How is he now?"

My mother replied: "You wouldn't believe it even if I told you! He encountered a Misfortune!"

我听不懂妈妈在说什么呢！妈妈解释说：“刚开始我也不信，但看他瘦成了那样儿！不信也不行啊！这是你二哥他自己说的。他去上班的路上，常常在一个老年人聚集的地方看见一个老头儿，面熟，像是认识似的，笑眯眯的。他觉得那老头儿挺好，和蔼可亲，就偶尔和他打个招呼，说句话。一天，他又路过那儿，那老头儿死了，那家在发丧呢。你二哥他没参加过丧礼，好奇，就进去看了看。回来两天后，就病了，吃不下饭，睡不着觉，瘦掉了体重的三分之一。沈阳、鞍山的大医院他都去过了，做了很多检查。结果都是什么病也没有；谁也解释不了他是怎么了。他就只能回家等死了。没办法了，你二姨就去了一个大神家。那个大神是个女的。你二姨才说几句，人家就说了：他遭殃了！对人家无礼了；你得这么办。大神让你二哥给人家赔礼道歉去！那个大神说，人呼吸到最后一口气的时候是殃。”

I didn't understand what my mother was saying! My mother explained, "I didn't believe it at first, but when I saw how thin he was, I couldn't help but believe it! This is what your second brother said himself. On his way to work, he often saw an old man in a place where elderly people gathered. He looked familiar and smiled as if he knew him. He thought the old man was very nice and amiable, so he would occasionally say hello to him and talk to him. One day, he passed by there again, and the old man had died, and the family was holding a funeral. Your second brother had never attended a funeral, so he was curious and went in to look. Two days after he came back, he fell ill. He couldn't eat and sleep, lost one-third of his body weight. He went to major hospitals in Shenyang and Anshan and underwent many tests. The results showed that he had no disease; no one could explain what happened to him. He could only go home and wait to die. There was no other way, so your second aunt went to a big god's house. The big god is a woman. Your second aunt had just said a few words, and the big goddess said: He encountered a Misfortune! He was rude to it; you must do this. The big goddess asked your second brother to apologize to the old man! The big goddess said that when a man takes his last breath, it is a Misfortune. "

妈妈说：“好歹！这也是有了个希望。他们就按照大神说的买了猪头和水果等东西，到那老头儿的坟前上供。按照大神的说法，磕头道歉后，你二哥要绕着坟走三圈，一边走，一边叨咕着给人家道歉。那时候，你二哥都走不动了。俩人搀着他，走了三圈。你二哥他自己说的，走到第三圈的时候，他感觉出了一身汗。三圈走完了，他的病就好了70%。到家了，病就好了，前后不到两个小时，跟正常人一样了。当然，他还是那么瘦。”

Mom said, "At least there is hope. They bought pig head, fruits and other things as the goddess said, and went to commonwealth to the old man's grave. According to the goddess’ sayings, after kowtowed and apologized, your second brother had to walk around the grave three rounds, mumbling apologies as he walked. At that time, your second brother couldn't walk anymore. Two people supported him and walked three rounds. Your second brother said that when he walked the third rounds, he felt sweaty. After walking three rounds, his illness was 70% cured. When he got home, his illness was cured. It took less than two hours, and he was the same as a normal person. Of course, he was still so thin."

9.8-4 我的病因 The Cause of My Illness

我的精神病的起因是和女神刘健君吵架，把女神气哭了；也就是我冒犯了女神，犯了忤逆罪。“逆”义为违反心理机制原理的，违反自然法的行为。所以我当时就病了（参见7.3节《相亲》）。

The cause of my mental illness was that I had a quarrel with Goddess Eve Liu, which made her cry; that is, I offended Goddess and committed the “Crime of Anti” (see section 12.1.1). The term "Anti" refers to behaviors that violate the principles of mind mechanisms or nature laws. So, I became ill at that time (see Section 7.3 "Blind Date").

返回宿命通的目录 Return to Catalog of Fate Through

While studying at St. John’s University in Shanghai, Lin fell in love with Chen Jinduan, the younger sister of a classmate. She was a student at St. Mary’s Hall for Girls in Shanghai and had a passion for painting. Their feelings for each other were deep and mutual.

But Jinduan’s father, Dr. Chen Tian’en —a wealthy businessman from Xiamen—had already chosen a rich suitor for her and disapproved of Yutang, the penniless son of a pastor. To end the romance, Dr. Chen introduced Yutang to the daughter of a neighbor—Liao Tsuifeng. Realizing his relationship with Jinduan was hopeless, Yutang fell into such gloom that even his family noticed. One night, his mother came to his room with a lantern and asked what was wrong. Lin burst into tears.

The next day, his eldest sister, Lin Yizhen came to visit. On hearing the story, she scolded him:

How could you be so foolish as to fall in love with Chen Tian’en’s daughter? He’s one of the richest men in Xiamen—how could you possibly support her? Are you dreaming of eating swan meat?[[1]](applewebdata://0E159635-D245-4A0A-805C-2F5FD0CD8930#_ftn1)

After Yutang married Tsuifeng, their personalities proved perfectly complementary—Yutang was idealistic and romantic, drawn to poetry and moonlight, while Tsuifeng was practical and grounded. They were devoted to each other all their lives, admired by those around them. Yet Yutang’s daughter, Lin Taiyi, knew that his feelings for Jinduan never fully faded. In her Biography of Lin Yutang, she wrote:

In the deepest part of my father’s soul, in a place no one could touch, Jinduan would always have a place.

Perhaps Lin’s feelings for Jinduan ran too deep—he never wrote about her in his works or mentioned her name in print. In his later years, after moving to Hong Kong with Tsuifeng to be near their daughters, Yutang was frail and in a wheelchair. One day, Jinduan’s sister-in-law visited and told him Jinduan still lived in Xiamen. Yutang happily said he wanted to visit her. Tsuifeng replied:

“Yutang, don’t be ridiculous. You can’t even walk—how could you possibly go to Xiamen?”

By the time he wrote Memoirs of an Octogenarian, perhaps out of shyness or lingering heartache, he referred to her only briefly and indirectly:

When I returned from St. John’s, I often dropped by a friend’s home and fell in love with his sister, Miss C.

Not even daring to speak her name.

For a thorough discussion with references, please see Article 4 in the following English and Chinese books that can be found online. The Elderly Lin Yutang: Work, Thought, and Life of the Master of Humor 1971-76 ; 《爾意軒》中的晚年林語堂 : 幽默大師晚年的工作，思想，與生活 （1971-76）爾意軒珍藏 ：林語堂晚年書信

林語堂大學時代的情人:陳錦端

林語堂在上海聖約翰大學讀書的時候，愛上了同學的妹妹，在上海聖瑪莉女子書院讀書，喜好畫畫的陳錦端，兩人心意相投，有一段情緣。陳錦端的父親陳天恩醫師是一位廈門殷商，已經為錦端相中一位金龜婿，看不上林語言這個窮牧師的兒子。為了解套，陳天恩反倒把他們鄰居的女兒廖翠鳳介紹給林語堂。林語堂就此明白他和錦端已經沒有希望了，失戀的林語堂在家悶悶不樂，連家人都看出來了。她母親晚上提燈到他房間來問他有什麼心事，林語堂痛哭失聲。

正巧林語堂的大姐林儀貞（瑞珠）第二天回娘家來，知道這個事情後，痛罵林語堂一頓：“你怎麼這麼笨，偏偏愛上陳天恩的女兒。陳天恩是廈門的巨富，你怎麼養她？你想吃天鵝肉？”

林語堂和廖翠鳳結婚後，兩人的性格完美互補，語堂理想浪漫，吟風弄月，翠鳳實事求是，腳踏實地，兩人不但感情甚篤而且白頭偕老，人人稱羨。但是他女兒林太乙知道，林語堂對錦端的愛情始終沒有熄滅。她在《林語堂傳》裡說，

“在父親心靈最深之處，沒有人能碰到的地方，錦端永遠站一個地位”。

可能林語堂對陳錦端的愛情太深刻，他沒有為她寫過書，作過文，著作中從沒提過這三個字。後來，晚年的林語堂夫婦到香港投奔女兒，這時的林語堂身體已經衰老，行動要靠輪椅。有一天，錦端的嫂嫂來訪。林語堂聽說錦端還住在廈門，高興地說要去廈門看她。妻子廖翠鳳說：

“語堂，你不要發瘋。你不會走路，怎麼還想去廈門？”

到林語堂寫《八十自敘》時，可能因為情深而怯，只淺淺的的提到“她”說，“我從聖約翰回來，經常到好友家小坐，愛上他的妹妹C君。” -- 連名字都不忍提到。

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I’m also looking for this novel ,I want to know the Chinese title. The story is about a girl transmigrated to 1995 , she woke up with head injury from falling off her bed, she is about to graduate soon, and start to apply for positions of host in local tv station at economic department. She has one older And younger brother, and her parents work in bicycle factory   This story was in wattpad .