Lin Yutang

Date of Birth: October 10, 1895

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Date of Death: March 26, 1976

Biography

Lin Yutang was a renowned Chinese author, translator, and inventor, best known for his works that bridge the cultural gap between East and West. Born in Fujian, China, he was educated in China and the United States, earning a Ph.D. from Harvard University. Lin is best known for his English-language works, including “My Country and My People” (1935) and “The Importance of Living” (1937), which introduced Chinese philosophy and way of life to Western audiences. He was also an inventor, creating the first Chinese typewriter and a new method for indexing Chinese characters. Lin’s insightful and often humorous writing brought him international fame, making him one of the most influential Chinese writers of the 20th century.

5 Interesting Facts about Lin Yutang

1. Lin Yutang was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times but never won.

2. He invented the first Chinese typewriter, which greatly facilitated the typing of Chinese characters.

3. Lin was fluent in multiple languages, including Chinese, English, French, and German.

4. His book “The Importance of Living” was a bestseller in the United States during the 1930s.

5. Lin Yutang designed his own house in Taipei, Taiwan, which is now a museum dedicated to his life and works.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Lin Yutang

1. “Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone.”

2. “If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live.”

3. “No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.”

4. “Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.”

5. “The wise man reads both books and life itself.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

The highest net worth Lin Yutang achieved is difficult to pinpoint, but his international success as an author and inventor likely brought him considerable financial stability, estimated at several million USD at the peak of his career.

Children

Lin Yutang had three daughters: Lin Taiyi (Anor Lin), Lin Hsiang Ju (Meimei), and Lin Hsiang Ai (Adet Lin). All three were accomplished in their own right, with Taiyi Lin becoming a notable translator and editor.