Dear Editor:
The recent article on Moscow University in your series on famous universities around the world afforded us an in-depth look at the efforts and aspirations of Soviet intellectuals during past history. I was left with great admiration, particularly because Moscow University has enjoyed administrative autonomy in terms of curriculum and utilization of funds ever since December 1990--while expenditures on higher education in Taiwan have been trimmed back in recent years, with National Taiwan University bearing the brunt of the cuts. I truly believe that the next generation of Chinese will only have a future if educational policy is set from an educational standpoint. I hope your magazine will carry more articles on the educational ideals and academic programs of famous universities around the world.
Chin Chuan-chun Taipei
Dear Editor:
Between 1986 and 1989 I went to Leiden University in the Netherlands twice as a visiting scholar to carry out researches. While there, I met with two writers for your magazine who were reporting on the institute, and later I read the articles on professors Zurcher, Idema and Blussee and one on Robert van Gulik as well. As a student of East-West cultural interchange, I was quite interested and would like to collect material on sinology overseas, but unfortunately I have been unable to locate your magazine in several large libraries here on the mainland.
I would very much like to acquire a copy of your January 1990 issue and wonder whether you still have any back copies to sell. Alternatively, I could give you one of my books in exchange, or any other book you might like.
Hao Chen-hua Sino-Foreign Relations Research History Research Division China Sociology Institute
Editor's Response: We published a collection of articles on international sinologists in January 1991 entitled When West Meets East, including an article on Professor Zurcher, a preface by Academia Sinica Member Li Yih-yuan, and more than 10 other articles on foreign sinologists and their work.
We began sending free copies of Sinorama to major libraries on the mainland last year, but many readers have written to subscribe since the copies are so often out on loan.
Dear Editor:
The phrase "Pu-p'ai legislator" appeared in the article "Young Turk Administrator Jaw Shau-kong" in issue no. 2, volume 17. I'm stumped. What does that mean? Please enlighten me.
Pu Shao-fu Hong Kong
Editor's Response: Pu-p'ai is a transliteration of Popeye, which used to be a popular cartoon in Taiwan many years ago, and is often used to describe a person who is bold and decisive in getting things done. However, the cartoon was shown a long time ago, and the term is unfamiliar to overseas Chinese, so many readers may not have known who Pu-p'ai is. This was an oversight on our part, which we would like to clarify and apologize for to our readers. [tr. note: Pu-p'ai was rendered in English as "Young Turk."]