Cheng Tzu:

Master of the Five Excellences

A Life Biography of Cheng Man Ching
by Tam ibbs
(Originally written November 2, 1978. Mr. Gibbs translation was done in the
resen!e o" Mrs. #heng as she transliterated the wen yen o" $ro"essor #heng%s
"&nerary boo' into pai hua so that he !o&ld &nderstand it.(
)n ast history, i" a s!holar mastered a single s&b*e!t, then others !o&ld st&dy it
"rom him. +hat s!holar !o&ld then, as a tea!her, !onne!t the st&dents with the
sages o" the ast many years ago, a !ertain #heng ,&an-wen was
a!'nowledged as being widely 'nowledgeable and was d&bbed san-chueh,
having a!hieved e.!ellen!e in three "ields (oetry, !alligrahy, and ainting.
/own the ages it has been lamented that there have been so "ew li'e him.
Now, $ro"essor #heng e.!elled in "ive "ields0 oetry, ainting, !alligrahy, and
tai-!hi !h%&an (a martial art(, and medi!ine. 1e was "amo&s the world over "or
these attainments. 1e also st&died deely the tea!hings o" "ormer sages, and
was s&!h a roli"i! writer that he did not reali2e old age was !reeing &on him.
1
$ro"essor #heng s&rassed the a!!omlishments o" #heng ,&an-wen. $eole
who believe him to be the most o&tstanding individ&al in #hinese !&lt&ral history
in this !ent&ry (literally, sin!e the "o&nding o" the 3e&bli! o" #hina, 1911( are not
e.aggerating.
$ro"essor #hengs !hildhood name was 4&eh. 1is widow told me that when he
was 56 year%s o1d he &sed the name Man-!hing. 1e was born in #he'iang
$rovin!e in the fu o" Yung Chia (resent day Wenchou(, ten years be"ore the
"o&nding o" the 3e&bli! o" #hina (i.e. born 1961- #hing /ynasty ,&ang-hs&
28th year(, on the 27th day o" the 8 th moon (#hinese !alendar(, on the day
"ollowing the birthday o" the lot&s "lower. +here"ore he too' 9style: name o"
9;ather o" the <ot&s: (a!t&ally "ather o" the seeds, be!a&se the "lower was born
be"ore $ro"essor #heng, and $ro"essor was born be"ore the seeds(.
One o" his en names was 91ermit o" the =ade >ell.: ?"ter he assed the age o"
76, he grew a beard and too' the name 9Man-*an: or 9>his'ers Man:. @ven a"ter
the age o" 86 he o"ten st&died &ntiringly thro&gh the night, so he also had the
name o" 91ost o" the +ower o" <ong @vening.: +here are other reasons too, "or
this name.A1
( A1 $ro"essor #heng adoted this en name in New 4or' where he lived in an
aartment in a New 4or' b&ilding -he !o&ld see the New 4or' s'ys!raers tower
into the long evenings. 1e also !alled himsel" 9+he Old #hild >ho Never +ires o"
<earning.:(
$ro"essor #heng%s "ather died when he was a !hild. 1is mother, whose maiden
name was #hang, ta&ght him oetry and !alligrahy. 1e !o&ld memori2e at a
glan!e.
?t the age o" 9, a bri!' "ell "rom a damaged wall, hitting him in the head. Blood
!overed his body. 1e was in a !oma "or two days and two nights. ? tea!her o" the
martial arts named #ho& Min-!hi went to the mo&ntains and gathered herbs
whi!h !&red the boy. 1owever, he was li'e a vegetable. 1e lost his memory.
?t age 16 he st&died ainting with $ro"essor >ang 1siang-!han. ?ll he !o&ld do
was stand by the tea!her and grind in'. ?ll he did was re!&erate and loo' at the
aintings.
+hree years later his health imroved a little. )n the evenings he wo&ld ta'e the
le"t over aer wraers "rom his maternal grandmothers medi!ine and aint a
"lower, a lea", an inse!t, or a bird (the wraers were very small(. ?t age 15, his
tea!hers wi"e as'ed him to aint a wisteria and what he ainted had the "lavor o"
4&%n Nan-t%ien and 1&ai 1sing-lo, both "amo&s ainters. 1is tea!her was leased
and d&bbed $ro"essor #hengs st&dio the >isteria ;lower Ct&dio. 1is tea!her
told him how m&!h he sho&ld !harge er ainting (this is a tradition in #hinese
2
ainting -when a ainter !omes o" ageD his ainting master gives the st&dent a
name "or his st&dio and sets a basi! ri!e "or the st&dents aintings(.
;rom that time on, $ro"essor #heng s&orted his "amily by means o" his
aintings. >ith the e.tra money he bo&ght the aintings o" =en $ai-nien, #hao
1&i-sh&, and other "amo&s ainters. ?lso he re!eived hel and advi!e "rom his
a&nt #hang ,&ang, who was also 'nown as 1&ng-wei <ao-*en, in the method o"
ainting o&tlines. Cometimes he wo&ld lay with his !o&sin who wo&ld blind"old
$ro"essor #heng. $ro"essor #heng who wo&ld then try to aint an entire bamboo
several "eet long in the 9o&tline: method. 1e !o&ld do it witho&t ma'ing a mista'e
at the *oints, twigs, or where the leaves !rossed.
+he "ollowing year, an aged oet named <& +%&ng-ei gave him an introd&!tion to
Chen Mei-so, Ma 4i-"&, #hing +2&-y&an, <o 1sing-h&, >ang #hien-lo, and others
o" the !ity o" 1ang!ho&. 1e sent $ro"essor #heng there to asso!iate with them
and dis!&ss ainting, oetry, and !alligrahy.
?t age 18 he went to $e'ing along with <o ;&-'an and <o4ing-'&ng (brothers(.
+hey &blished oems in the newsaers in the 9!hang-ho: style (a style o"
oetry where two eole ma'e & an e.tended oem -the "irst erson writes a
line and the se!ond erson writes a line whi!h rhymes with the "irst, altho&gh the
!ontent or line o" tho&ght is not the same(. +he three oets be!ame "ast "riends.
()t sho&ld be noted that the brothers <o were E&ite old. )n $e'ing they were E&ite
"amo&s "or their !&lt&ral attainments(. Be!a&se o" this asso!iation, $ro"essor
#heng re!eived an invitation "rom 4&-wen Fniversity to tea!h oetry.
+h&s he !ame to 'now #heng C&-'%an, #hen Chih-tseng, <ing #hih-!hih, 4ao
Man-"ei, >ang Meng-ai -all "amo&s men o" !&lt&re. ?"ter 8 years o" !lose
asso!iation with these men, $ro"essor #heng%s ainting develoed along the
lines o" $ai-yang, #h%ing-t&ng, and at last aroa!hed the E&ality o" $a-ta.
$ro"essor #hengs !alligrahy "ollowed the ath o" 4i-shao, $ei-hai, and
ro!eeded towards the an!ients o" 1an and >ei dynasties. 1is oetry
rogressed "rom #hing to C&ng to +ang dynasties. +h&s he !ontin&ally
imroved and evolved.
?t the age o" 25, +s%ai #h&eh-ming (+sai 4&an-ei, "o&nder o" $e'ing Fniversity(
gave $ro"essor #heng an introd&!tion to tea!h at the National #hi-nan
Fniversity. >& #hang-shih and #h& ,&->ei had a great deal o" rese!t "or
$ro"essor #heng. Co the Changhai C!hool o" ;ine arts invited him to be dire!tor
o" the deartment o" #hinese ainting. ?t that time #hang Chan-t2& and #hang
+a-!h%ien (brothers( and Ma Meng-*&ng and Ma ,&ng-y& (also brothers( were
invited by $ro"essor #heng to tea!h ainting in the deartment to "irm & the
"o&ndation o" the st&dents.
?t the age o" 29, with 1&an $ing-h&ng and others, $ro"essor #heng "o&nded the
#ollege o" #hinese #&lt&re and ?rt. $ro"essor #heng too' the ost o" vi!e-
3
resident. 1e stressed that oetry and literat&re, !alligrahy and ainting, and
seal !arving (an art in itsel"(, all were eE&ally imortant.
?t the age o" G6, $ro"essor #heng retired "rom tea!hing. 1e traveled to 4ang-h&
in #hiangs& rovin!e and st&died with master tea!her o" the !lassi!s #hien
Ming-shan 1e &t his heart and so&l into st&dying the !lassi!s and the sages,
and "or G years his "eet never le"t the s!hool%s door. 1e too' no s&mmer
va!ations or va!ations o" any 'ind.
$ro"essor #heng on!e !ommented to me, 9+am, d&ring that time o" st&dy o"
Master Ming-shan, ) never slet ) b&rned the midnight oil "or three years and no
one ever saw me e.!et my tea!her, and that was only when ) handed in an
essay to him.: $&rs&ing this road to its "&rthest rea!hes, having inse!ted the
min&test oints, he "orgot all else and entered the +ao o" 'nowledge.
?s a res&lt, his oetry be!ame &re, !lear, rob&st and real -witho&t "rills or
arti"i!iality. 1is !alligrahy was "&ll, &ni"ied, even, and solid. +he strength o" his
br&sh stro'e seemed to enetrate thro&gh the aer. 1is ainting was simle yet
re"ined, and at the same time solid. +he in' seemed to maintain its "reshness and
even the water seemed to have body. +he !omosition o" his aintings was
marvelo&s, altho&gh it loo'ed lain. 1e in"l&en!ed !alligrahers and ainters,
whose wor's were solid, weighty, and lain. 1e wanted to eliminate the modern
trend toward the s&er"i!ially retty and "rivolo&s.
4
?"ter !oming to +aiwan (he was 56-76
years old( he and s&!h l&minaries as 4& 4o&-*en, #hen 1an-'&an, #hang #hao-
!h%in, Ma Chao-wen, #hang #hing-wei, and others, "ormed a oetry so!iety. >ith
Ma-Cho&-h&a, +ao 4&n-lo, #h%en ;eng, #hang ,&-nien, <i& 4en-tao, and ,ao 4i-
h&ng, he "ormed the 9Ceven ;riends o" $ainting and #alligrahy Gro&.: 1e also
was among those who began the 3e&bli! o" #hina ;ine ?rts Co!iety. 1e was
ele!ted an o""i!er o" the Co!iety and also served as head o" the #hinese ainting
se!tion.
$ro"essor #heng was invited to arti!iate in organi2ing a National $ainting and
#alligrahy @.hibition and to be one o" the *&dges "or their events. 1e was also
invited to a li"etime ro"essorshi at the #ollege o" #hinese #&lt&re to tea!h on
the s&b*e!ts o" oetry, ainting, and !alligrahy in the "ine arts deartment o" the
grad&ate s!hool. 1e was also named /ire!tor o" ;ine ?rts o" the ?meri!an
bran!h o" the 3e&bli! o" #hina #&lt&ral 3enaissan!e Movement.
/&ring a san o" 27 years he had many one man shows both at home and
abroad. One was at the National #ern&s!hi Gallery in $aris and at the >orld%s
;air in New 4or' in 1985 >estern artists were greatly imressed and e.ressed
their rese!t. $eole !omlimented him as being a master o" in' ainting. 1is
"ame was "&lly warranted, not *&st !ir!&mstantial.
5
$ro"essor #heng%s mother was s'illed at di""erentiating medi!inal herbs. >hen
$ro"essor #heng was yo&ng, he was o"ten ill. 1e o"ten a!!omanied his mother
to i!' herbsH th&s sro&ted in him the desire to &se medi!al 'nowledge and
herbs to hel the world.
?t age 27, $ro"essor #heng !ame to 'now C&ng 4o&-an o" ?nh&i rovin!e,
whose "amily had been "amo&s "or nine generations as ra!titioners o" medi!ine.
$ro"essor #heng greatly rese!ted him and be!ame his dis!ile. ?!t&ally /r.
C&ng so&ght o&t $ro"essor #heng. ?!!ording to Mrs. #heng, the story goes as
"ollows. /r C&ng was in his seventies and had long sin!e retired. 1is "o&r sons
were all "amo&s do!tors, b&t their "ather was still loo'ing "or someone to tea!h all
the mysteries o" his medi!al 'nowledge to. @vidently, his sons were not "&lly
!aable o" grasing all that /r. C&ng 'new. /r. C&ng was visiting an old "riend in
Changhai and haened a!ross a res!rition $ro"essor #heng had written.
$ro"essor #heng was not a ro"essional do!tor at the time, b&t he wo&ld write
res!ritions "or "riends. Fon reading the res!rition, /r. C&ng was greatly
imressed and told his "riend that he wo&ld li'e to meet the a&thor o" it. 5o do&bt
he was an old and e.erien!ed do!tor o" medi!ine, and /r. C&ng wo&ld li'e the
oort&nity to dis!&ss medi!ine with s&!h a man. )t wo&ld be ni!e, he told his
"riend, "or two greybeards o" medi!ine to !omare theories.
/r. C&ng%s "riend !h&!'led and said that the a&thor o" that res!rition was not
e.a!tly a greybeard. in "a!t, he was a yo&ng $ro"essor. >hen /r. C&ng heard
that $ro"essor #heng was a yo&ng man, he "elt -a s&rge o" hoe that this was the
st&dent to whom he !o&ld ass on his 'nowledge. B&t when he learned that the
6
yo&ng man was already a $ro"essor, his hoe ebbed. 1ow !o&ld he res&me to
as' a man already established as a $ro"essor to be!ome a st&dent againI
/r. C&ng ret&rned to ?h&i disaointed. ;rom time to time he wo&ld ma'e the
long *o&rney to visit his old "riend, hoing that somehow he !o&ld meet $ro"essor
#heng. ?nd his "riend, 5n the meantime, revailed &on $ro"essor #heng to go
st&dy with old /r. C&ng. B&t $ro"essor #heng was so b&sy tea!hing !lasses and
administrating his !ollege that he had no "ree time e.!et "or holidays and
s&mmer va!ation. Nevertheless, /r. C&ng%s "riend ersisted.
;inally, $ro"essor #heng de!ided to go visit old /r. C&ng. 1e had learned that the
venerable do!tor dearly loved to eat reserved leg o" dog this deli!a!y was a
se!ialty o" $ro"essor #heng%s home rovin!e o" #he'iang. 1owever, reserved
dog%s legs were e.tremely di""i!&lt to obtain, be!a&se they were &sed in the
ro!ess o" reserving hams. ;or every 166 hams, one dogs leg was &sed to
imart a se!ial "lavor to the hams. Fs&ally the dogs legs were set aside "or the
e.!l&sive &se o" master !he"s.
Nevertheless, $ro"essor #heng managed to obtain one, and along with three
other gi"ts, s&!h as "inely woven !loth, white "&ng&s, et!., set o"" to visit old /r.
C&ng in ?nh&i rovin!e. /r. C&ng was hay indeed to see him, b&t re"&sed the
resents -e.!et "or the dogs leg.
$ro"essor #heng wanted to 'ow tow and go thro&gh the "ormal !eremony o"
be!oming a st&dent. B&t Or. C&ng de!lared it was not ne!essary. <et them, he
s&ggested, abide by the tradition o" Dinstr&!tion witho&t regard to di""eren!e in
ageD (wang-nien chih chiao(. B&t $ro"essor #heng insisted on the traditional
st&dent -tea!her relationshi, "or )t was well 'nown that only a st&dent who had
gone thro&gh the "ormal !eremony wo&ld be ta&ght oenly and "reely all the
se!rets the master 'new.
+he two men were at loggerheads0 $ro"essor #heng wo&ld not st&dy witho&t 'ow
tow, and /r. C&ng was not willing to have $ro"essor #heng 'neel be"ore him.
>o&ld this be the end o" itI >o&ld they art be!a&se o" their m&t&al insisten!eI
+hen /r. C&ng "o&nd a way to satis"y both arties. 1e said to $ro"essor #heng,
9Jery well then, 'ow tow to my an!estors.: 1e then indi!ated the altar whi!h held
the sirit tablets o" his an!estors and $ro"essor #heng er"ormed the !eremony
there.
+here&on old /r. C&ng !ame o&t o" retirement. 1e h&ng o&t the sign indi!ating
he was on!e again ra!ti!ing medi!ine. +his enabled $ro"essor #heng to
e.erien!e "irsthand how the old do!tor treated his atients "rom start to "inish.
>hen /r. C&ng was not treating atients, he instr&!ted $ro"essor #heng
regarding whi!h boo's to read and what to loo' "or in them.
7
$ro"essor #heng%s intelligen!e was above normal, and morning and night he
listened to his tea!her tal' abo&t the +ao o" medi!ine. +h&s he !ame to
thoro&ghly &nderstand the wonder"&l mysteries o" the res!ritions o" the great
do!tors o" +ang, C&ng, 4&an, Ming, and #hing dynasties. )n addition, he a!hieved
mastery thro&gh his own st&dies o" traditional #hinese gyne!ology and
obstetri!s, as well as orthoedi! medi!ine.
)n 19G7 the Cino-=aanese war began. $ro"essor #heng !hose "rom among his
se!ial res!ritions those %that wo&ld be o" bene"it to the military and gave them
to a&thorities so the government !o&ld ma'e the medi!ine and see to the
distrib&tion o" them.
$ro"essor #heng h&ng o&t the sign indi!ating that he was staying at home to wait
and treat atients. +his was the "irst time he had done so. 1is "ame as a do!tor
soon sread "ar and wide.
;rom 1928 on, when >ang #hing-wei, <i& =ei-hen, and others, &t "orward
roosals to eliminate #hinese traditional medi!ine and harma!e&ti!s, the dire!t
line o" the +ao o" #hinese medi!ine drained away day by day &ntil it was almost
dry. )n !ontrast to the above were #hiao 4i-"ang, #h%en ,&o-"&, #h%en <i-"& and
others who s&bmitted roosals in "avor o" #hinese medi!ine, b&t the world o"
#hinese do!tors was not able to rise to the o!!asion. +hen, $ro"essor #heng,
together with /r. #h%in and other "riends o" the +ao o" medi!ine "o&nded the
National #hinese Medi!al ?sso!iation. +his asso!iation, "or the "irst time )n
#hinese history, s&!!eeded in &niting all the "amo&s traditional #hinese do!tors
on the mainland to resear!h the best and "inest oints o" #hinese medi!ine and
harma!ology. ?s res&lt, #hinese medi!ine grew and "lo&rished. ?"ter the
"o&ndation o" the asso!iation, $ro"essor #heng was ele!ted its resident.
)n 1958, $ro"essor #heng too' a osition in the National ?ssembly "or the
#onstr&!tion o" the #onstit&tion o" the 3e&bli! o" #hina. +he "ollowing year he
was ele!ted to the National ?ssembly as the reresentative o" the !omm&nity o"
do!tors o" #hinese medi!ine.
)n 1978, the #ollege o" #hinese Medi!ine and $harma!ology was lanned, and
/r. #hin #h%in, as "o&nder o" the s!hool, as'ed $ro"essor #heng to be either
/ire!tor o" the Board o" +r&stees or $resident o" the #ollege. +his wo&ld add
stat&re to the !ollege. $ro"essor #heng was olite b&t "irm in his re"&sal0 Cir, yo&
have single handedly done all the wor' in "o&nding this s!hool, and i" ) were to
ta'e the osition o" honor, it wo&ld not be right.D Co he did not a!!et the o""er.
1owever, when the s!hool ran into tro&ble later on, $ro"essor #heng steed
"orward and sared no e""ort to hel.
8
?s a yo&th $ro"essor #heng was very wea',
so he st&died Chaolin #h&an to strengthen his body. ?t age 27, in Changhai,
s&""ering "rom third degree t&ber!&losis, he st&died tai-!hi !h&an "rom the "amed
master 4ang #heng-"&. )n little more than a year $ro"essor #heng had gained an
&nderstanding o" the main rin!iles o" t%ai-!hi !h%&an. /&ring that time, 4ang%s
wi"e was stri!'en with a serio&s illness. ?ll do!tors had been helless to
res!ribe "or her. B&t $ro"essor #heng did not want to see the wi"e o" his tea!her
die, so he !are"&lly e.amined her. @vent&ally, she be!ame well. Mrs. 4ang said to
her h&sband, 9Now that ) am well, how are yo& going to than' this yo&ng manI
4o& m&st tea!h him everything yo& 'now and don%t hold ba!' a single se!retK:
/eely indebted "or the "avor $ro"essor #heng had done his "amily, Master 4ang
abided by his wi"e%s reE&est and ta&ght $ro"essor #heng the imortant se!rets o"
t%ai-%!hi !h%&an and t%ai !hi sword. 1e held nothing ba!'.
<ater, in +%ai-y&an in Chansi $rovin!e, $ro"essor #heng ra!ti!ed marvelo&s
te!hniE&es o" tai-!hi !h&an energy with #hang #h%ing-ling.
?"ter twenty years o" !onstant ra!ti!e, $ro"essor #heng !ondensed the "orm
into G7 ost&res, thereby ma'ing it both easier to tea!h, to learn, and to ra!ti!e.
?t age G2 he ta&ght t%ai-%!hi !h%&an at the #entral Military ?!ademy ("ormerly the
1&ang-o Military ?!ademy -eE&ivalent to >est $oint in the Fnited Ctates(.
?t the age o" G7 he was a !ons&ltant to the 1&nan $rovin!ial Government. ?t the
same time he also held the ost o" /ire!tor o" Martial ?rts o" 1&nan $rovin!e. ?t
the time, 1&nan !onsisted o" 77 !o&nties. +he heads o" martial arts in ea!h
!o&nty !ame to st&dy with $ro"essor #heng and went ba!' to their rese!tive
!o&nties and ta&ght. )t sho&ld be noted that 1&nan has traditionally been 'nown
as a rovin!e "amo&s "or its martial arts. $ro"essor #heng had to rove himsel" a
martial arts ra!titioner worthy o" being the rovin!ial head o" martial arts.
9
?t the age o" G8 he traveled to #h&ng'ing in C!he2&an rovin!e. 1e too' a
osition with the #entral Military +raining Gro& tea!hing t%ai-!hi !h%&an. One
time, the British embassy in #hina gave a banE&et. +he master o" !eremonies
as'ed $ro"essor #heng to give a t%ai-!hi !h%&an demonstration. Come members
o" the British ?rmy wanted to !omete with him. >hen atta!'ed, $ro"essor
#heng seemed merely to t&rn over his hand and t&rn his body slightly and his
oonent "ell more than ten "eet awayK <ater, at a arty given by the ?meri!an
?rmy, the same thing haened. Onloo'ers !o&ldn%t hel e.!laiming their delight
and ama2ement.
?t age 58, $ro"essor #heng moved to +aiwan. +here he "o&nded the Ctir =&ng
C!hool o" +%ai-!hi #h%&an.
?t age 8G he went to ?meri!a. +here he "o&nded the Chr =&ng #enter "or #&lt&re
and the ?rts (the t%ai-!hi s!hool(. )t was oen to all who wanted to st&dy and had
a large st&dent body.
?t resent, those who have dire!tly or indire!tly st&died Master #heng%s t%ai-!hi
!h%&an already n&mber more than 166,666 eole. +hose who have tr&ly
&nderstood his tea!hing and rogressed to the st&dy o" the sword n&mber more
than 76 eole.
$ro"essor #heng had 7 ese!ially strong oints. ;&rthermore, he !o&ld &ni"y
them as i" they were earls threaded on a single string. +hat string was the +ao.
Be!a&se he st&died deely the !lassi!s and the sages, he "athomed the deths
o" the rin!iles o" hilosohy. +h&s the ast and the resent, the sages o" old
and this man o" the modern world rea!hed a harmony. +here"ore in regard to
e.ha&sting the ossibilities o" a""airs o" all 'inds, it was as i" he had i!'ed & a
!oat by the !ollar. +hat is to say, he held the reins o" !ontrol. +he venerable 4&
4o&-*en raised him in this way, D1e is a &niE&e talent o" this era. >hat others
regard as the most di""i!&lt o" matters, he alone does easily and well. +his is not a
hollow a!!oladeK +he a!!omlishments o" his li"etime were all dire!ted toward
develoing and e.anding traditional #hinese !&lt&re. ?ll o" the above were
rod&!ts o" $ro"essor #heng%s e!le!ti! nat&re and enetrating geni&s, and were
original wor's -not mere !omendi&ms o" the wor's o" other s!holars. +r&ly,
these writings will weather time and !riti!ismK
(/e!. 1, 1978 with Chr-m&, wor'ing on <ao-shrs biograhy.(
$ro"essor #heng was a disting&ished loo'ing gentleman with a !&lt&red air. 1is
!hara!ter was o&tso'en and honest, and he wal'ed a straight ath "rom whi!h
he never wavered nor !omromised himsel".
?t age 56, $ro"essor #heng married Miss 4i-t&, the "o&rth da&ghter o" ?ir
Marshall +ing, the !hie" o" the brand new /eartment o" ?ir ;or!e. +he yo&ng
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lady was elegant in aearan!e and E&ite intelligent. Che was a st&dent o"
medi!ine and earned her B. ?. at $ei'ing Fniversity. Che was ese!ially "ond o"
literat&re and art. +h&s she heled her h&sband ed&!ate their !hildren. @veryone
'new o" her gentle gra!e.
Over the ast 16 years or so $ro"essor #heng has traveled in ?meri!a and
@&roe, a!!omanied by his wi"e. )n 1975 he ret&rned to +aiwan to &blish 4i
#h&an (!ommentary on the Boo' o" #hanges( whi!h !onsisted o" more than
166,666 words. 1e ersonally roo"-read the galleys, and had *&st gone over
them the se!ond time when he said to !lose "riends0 9Cho&ld ) die, )%ll have no
regrets.: @veryone too' the words as a *o'e. >ho wo&ld have tho&ght that at
midnight o" Mar!h 2G, 1977 he was "o&nd with his head illowed in his arms on
the des' as i" aslee. 1e never wo'e &. 1e was immediately sent to the
hosital. ?t 2017 ?M. on Mar!h 28, he assed "rom his world. 1e was in his 77th
year.
4en #hia-'an, the resident o" the 3e&bli! o" #hina, wrote a memorial "or
$ro"essor #heng, 9) never dreamed that the "irst memorial ) wo&ld write wo&ld be
that o" an old "riend.:
?mong his !olle!tions o" oetry are0 +ang Chih #hen +& (!ommentary e.laining
the oems o" the +ang /ynasty(, 4&-!hing +sao-tang Chih-!hi (!onsisting o" two
vol&mes o" original oetry by $ro"essor #heng(, Man-!hing +2&-hs&an
($ro"essor #hengs sele!tion o" his own t2%& a "orm o" oetry(.
Boo's o" his !alligrahy and ainting in!l&de0 #heng Man-!hing 1&a-!hi (an
alb&m o" $ro"essor #heng%s aintings(, Man-*an 1sieh-yi (a !olle!tion o"
$ro"essor #hengs aintings in the hsieh-yi style( #heng Man-*an Ch&-h&a #hi (a
boo' o" $ro"essor #heng%s !alligrahy and aintings(, Man-*an Can-l&n
($ro"essor #heng%s writings on oetry, !alligrahy, and ainting(.
)n the "ield o" medi!ine, his boo's are the "ollowing0 N&-'%e 1sing-"a (a &bli!ation
!ontaining $ro"essor #heng%s res!ritions and theories abo&t gyne!ology(, +%an-
i $a-yao (abo&t !an!er(, ,&-'%e #hing-wei (ertaining to orthoedi!s(.
>ritings on t%ai !hi !h%&an are0 #heng-t2& +%ai-!hi #h%&an Chih-san $%ien (Master
#heng%s 1G #haters on +%ai-!hi #h&an(, +%ai-!hi #h%&an (&blished in @nglish(,
#heng-t2& +%ai-!hi #h%&an +2& hsi& 1sing-"a (Master #heng%s New Method o"
+%ai- #h%&an Cel" +a&ght( +%ai-!hi (in @nglish, !o-a&thored by 3obert >. Cmith.(
+here is also a movie on t%ai-!hi !h&an in bla!' and white, and one in !olor whi!h
also shows t%ai-!hi sword.
)n regard to !&lt&re and tradition, he &blished the "ollowing0 <ao-t2& 4i-!hih
#hieh (!ommentary on the +ao +he thing o" <ao +2&(, 1s&eh-y&ng 1sing-!hieh
(a !ommentary on the Great <earning and the /o!trine o" the Mean o"
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#on"&!i&s(, =en-wen #hien-sh&o ($ro"essor #heng%s original tho&ghts on
hilosohy, !&lt&re, and sel"-!&ltivation in simli"ied "orm(, 1sing-en ($ro"essor
#heng%s treatise !on!erning the an!ient E&estion o" whether man is born
intrinsi!ally good or, intrinsi!ally bad(, <&n-y& Chih-!hih (#ommentaries on the
?nale!ts o" #on"&!i&s(, 4i #h%&an !ommentary on the Boo' o" #hanges(.

+he altar "or aying rese!ts to $ro"essor #heng. +he table was se!ially set &
"or the anniversary o" his death. +he i!t&re is ermanent in $ro"essor #hengs
ho&se.


$artitionLChel" in $ro"essor #hengs ho&se.
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$ro"essor #heng%s "ront yard in +aiwan where m&!h o" the "amo&s &sh hands
and other ra!ti!e too' la!e.
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