TANG PRIZE/Historian shares research into ancient Chinese myth at Tang Prize forum

Taipei, Sept. 30 (CNA) Renowned Taiwanese-American historian Hsu Cho-yun (許倬雲) on Monday said his work regarding the ancient Chinese myth Da Yu (大禹) was a successful example of integrating social science methodologies into historical research that helped him win the 2024 Tang Prize in Sinology.

The 94-year-old Sinology prize winner Hsu said during a pre-recorded video at the 2024 Tang Prize Masters' Forum that his research into the 4,200-year-old myth concerning Da Yu, known as the Tamer of the Flood, showed that there was indeed major flooding at that time, meaning the myth could be rooted in reality.

Da Yu became known for being a legendary ruler and was widely popular for implementing flood controls and ending decades-long floods that devasted his people.

Hsu said he visited many areas mentioned in the myth and that his research showed it was grounded in historical and geographical reality.

He also cited later scientific evidence that suggested glacial lakes flooded in the Tibetan Plateau, along with the headwaters of the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, and that there were decades-long torrential rains in the area where Da Yu lived with his people 4,200 years ago.

Hsu, who specializes in ancient Chinese history, won the prize for his "holistic approach to the study of Chinese history; his engagement with the cultural and intellectual exchanges between China and the world; and his capacity to broach contemporary issues from the perspective of antiquity," according to the Tang Prize Foundation.

The Tang Prize is a biennial award established in 2012 by Taiwanese entrepreneur Samuel Yin (尹衍樑), chairman of the Ruentex Group, to honor those who have made significant contributions in four categories -- sustainable development, biopharmaceutical science, sinology and the rule of law.

Born in 1930 in Xiamen City, China, Hsu and his family moved to Taiwan in 1948, one year before the end of the Chinese Civil War.

He received his master's and bachelor's degrees from National Taiwan University's (NTU) Department of History before earning a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

Hsu held academic positions at Academia Sinica (1956-1971), before moving to the United States to teach at the University of Pittsburgh in 1970.

After graduating, he taught at NTU for a few years and then as a Professor of History and Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh for 30 years.

In his pre-recorded clip aired Monday, Hsu thanked NTU, where he studied and also taught for a few years before living in the U.S.

He added that then-NTU President Fu Ssu-nien (傅斯年) taught him and other NTU students at that time to love the country.

He said he continues to remember his teachings and continues to work to preserve and promote Chinese civilization and values.

The Tang Prize in Sinology recognizes the study of sinology, awarding research on China and related fields, such as Chinese thought, history, philology, linguistics, archaeology, philosophy, religion, traditional canons, literature, and art, excluding literary and artworks.

A cash prize of NT$40 million (US$1.23 million) and an additional NT$10 million in research funding are allocated to each award category.

According to the Tang Prize Foundation, Hsu was given this year's prize for his "holistic approach to the study of Chinese history; his engagement with the cultural and intellectual exchanges between China and the world; and his capacity to broach contemporary issues from the perspective of antiquity."

"With his erudition and public spirit, Professor Hsu best exemplifies a Sinologist's historical sensibility and worldly vision," the foundation said in a press statement.

Hsu donated the NT$50 million prize money to create a scholarship program dedicated to bringing doctoral students from around the world to Academia Sinica, Taiwan's top research institution, to finish their dissertations, according to the foundation.

The inaugural Sinology laureate was Yu Ying-shih (余英時) in 2014. William Theodore de Bary won the 2016 Sinology Prize, followed by Stephen Owen and Yoshinobu Shiba in 2018, Wang Gungwu (王賡武) in 2020, and Jessica Rawson in 2022.