Ching-Mao Cheng *71

Ching-Mao died Sept. 3, 2025, in Taiwan.

He was born in 1933 in Minxiong Township, Taiwan. At National Taiwan University (NTU) he earned his B.A. in Chinese literature in 1956 and an M.A. in 1959. After obtaining his M.A. in East Asian studies from Princeton in 1965, he served two years as a special research student at the University of Tokyo. He completed his Ph.D. in East Asian studies at Princeton in 1971. His dissertation examined the works of Japanese author Nagai Kafū in relation to Chinese literary traditions, incorporating influences from French literature to explore triangular cross-cultural dynamics.

He served as assistant professor of Chinese and Japanese at UC Berkeley during the early 1970s. Next, he joined the department of Asian languages and literature at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Under his involvement, the department expanded its offerings in East Asian humanities, contributing to interdisciplinary growth in area studies. He retired in 1996.

Ching-Mao returned to Taiwan to co-found the department of Chinese language and literature at National Dong Hwa University. Under his guidance, the department emphasized innovative approaches to literary translation and sinology, fostering an environment that integrated traditional scholarship with contemporary global perspectives.

He is survived by his wife and daughter. Ching-Mao’s daughter reported that her father proudly wore his Princeton shirts almost to the end.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.