A Concordance to Chuang Tzu

by William Hung

776 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

William Hung (Chinese: 洪業) was a Chinese historian and sinologist known for his contributions to the study of Chinese classical writings and his role in modernizing Sinology. He taught for many years at Yenching University in Peking, one of China’s leading Christian universities, before moving to Harvard University, where he spent the rest of his career mentoring students and developing Chinese studies.
Hung was instrumental in editing the Harvard-Yenching Index Series, a major scholarly resource, and authored Tu Fu: China's Greatest Poet, a widely regarded work on the renowned Tang dynasty poet. He played a key role in establishing the Harvard-Yenching Institute, ensuring Yenching University's collaboration with Harvard in advancing Chinese studies. His academic career combined rigorous Western methodologies with deep classical scholarship, producing influential research on Confucian texts and early Chinese history.
Educated in both China and the United States, Hung attended Ohio Wesleyan University, Columbia University, and Union Theological Seminary. He later became an influential professor and administrator at Yenching University, where he sought to raise its academic standing. Following the Japanese occupation of Peking, he endured hardship but continued his scholarly work in secret. After World War II, he relocated to Harvard, where he remained active in academia, mentoring students and contributing to the development of Chinese studies in the West.
Hung's legacy includes his impact on generations of scholars, his meticulous approach to textual studies, and his efforts to bridge Eastern and Western scholarly traditions.