ZhouYouguangisthescholarwhoinventedPinyin(拼音),asystemof
romanisationforChinesecharacters.Since1958,Chineseprimaryschool
studentshavelearntPinyin,beforetheylearncharacters.Thankstohim,one
billionChinesehavebecomeliterate–thegreatestcontributionbyalinguistin
history.Afteranextraordinarylife,hediedinJanuary2017attheageof111.Hehadseverallives–abankerinShanghai,NewYorkandLondon;
supplyingfoodandtextilesforthearmyandordinarypeopleduringWorldWar
Two;:after1949,alinguist.HelivedthroughallthecampaignsoftheMaoist
period,spending28monthsinalabourcampinwestChina.Hewrote49books,
manycriticaloftheSovietUnion,theSovietmodelusedinChinaandofMao
Zedong.Inthelast20yearsofhislife,hewasoneofthefewintellectualsin
Chinawillingtospeakthetruthinpublic.Helivedsolongthankstoaninnate
optimism,intellectualcuriosityabouteverythingandaBuddhist-likehumilityto
seehimselfandhisbelongingsasoflittlevalue.
WHO WRITING CHINA MAN SYSTEM OF THE PINYIN MADE
