Thus spake international bridge builder and member of the Academia Sinica Lin Tung-yen.

In fact, a similar situation exists with the Bering straits between the US and USSR. Only Lin has the paperwork already completed, and has been lobbying the authorities for 30 years.

Here's the way designer Lin Tung-yen thinks: You just go from Alaska, across a couple of small islands, and then to Siberia, to build an 80-kilometer transcontinental bridge. He would call it "The Bridge of Peace," helping to develop exchanges between the two nations.

Lin has broached the idea to leaders of the two nations several times, including President Reagan in 1986 when he bestowed an award on Lin for being one of America's 26 most outstanding scientists.

Although relations between the US and USSR have already improved, Lin still believes the idea has economic value. Siberian oil could be linked up to the Alaska pipeline and sent to California. The Alaskan government has already expressed clear interest, and taken the first step of forming a committee to further evaluate the plan.

Lin has also lobbied President Lee Teng-hui. As a ninth term member of the Academia Sinica, Lin was invited to discuss national affairs with the chief executive. His advice included building the third north-south highway as an elevated road above the existing Sun Yatsen Freeway, a high-speed railway, an electric automobile industry, and more. "Regardless of whether the President accepts or not, as an engineer I've already contributed as much as I can," says Lin contentedly.

Born the same year as the ROC, Lin, who grew up in Peiping with his judge father, has never found it difficult to hold his own chatting with politicians. Since being named to the Academia Sinica in 1972, he has often returned to Taiwan, being one of the few long term scholars there to maintain close ties at home.

The image most have of Lin is simply "Master Bridge Builder." His classic textbook Design of Prestressed Concrete Structure is a must-read for all civil engineering students. Taiwan's few large-scale bridges--Kwangfu, Yuanshan, Kuan-tu, and the soon-to-be-completed Pitan-- all are his handiwork.

He is also renowned abroad. His engineering consulting firm T.Y. Lin International has offices in eight US states and in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Taiwan, He is famous for big projects. While his bridges aren't necessarily long, they're all tough: gorges; deep water, or instructions to permit shipping to pass under the bridge or to conform to the local scenery.

Major bridges built by Lin are scattered across the globe, with most on the American continent. His works include the Krotz Springs Bridge in Louisiana, the High Bridge in Minnesota, and the Rio Colorado Bridge in Costa Rica.

Lin began his life-long association with bridges in college. He was in the Bridging Department at Tangshan Communications University. While getting his MA at Berkeley, he participated in the research for the repair work on the Golden Gate and Bay bridges.

Before emigrating to the US, Lin was engaged primarily in practical construction. After moving there, he began a thirty years of teaching. He went from assistant professor to associate professor to full professor to department chair in the Architecture Department of the University of California at Berkeley.

Lin's contributions to bridge building are not limited to "prestressed concrete." In fact, he has influenced countless engineers with his conceptions of bridge construction. A good many people, before seeing his spans, find it hard to believe that a bridge could be so aesthetically pleasing.

"A bridge is supposed to be used for several hundred years, so if you don't build it beautifully, what are you going to do if it's offensive to the eye when you're finished?" Lin thinks bridge building is the toughest task in civil engineering, and requires consideration of both environmental and engineering principles, including practicability of getting the job done, cost, appearance, view, and maintenance.

The bridge that Lin likes the most from a life spent among spans, is his proud achievement in his own country: the Kuantu Bridge.

The Kuantu bridge has the dubious distinction of having the highest toll (NT$20) of any bridge ever in Taiwan, but many still think "it's worth the cost." With the attractive scenery of the mouth of the Tamsui river as backdrop, the bridge's deep red arches cut three semicircles in the sky, reaching down to meet the buttresses down at the waterline; the bridge itself arcs gracefully upward, giving the appearance of weightlessness and fluidity.

Lin Tung-yen points out that the most unique feature of the bridge is that in order to complement the scenery, the arches were designed extremely carefully; to avoid having buttresses intrude on the view, the arches were spread as widely as possible.

To accomplish the design, precise engineering was required. At that time the steel plating of the bridge was all assembled on shore, then towed onto the water by boat. The tide and changes in the drafts of the boats were used to connect it to the buttresses. The bridge was consequently awarded a prize by the James F. Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation. But what makes Lin proudest is that the main structure was made by China Steel Corporation, and the work was done by Chinese engineers on their own. "The quality of our engineers is world class," Lin affirms.

Lin, who has traveled the globe but still likes coming to Taiwan best, has more reason than simply seeing his beloved work all around for coming back. He can also kick back and speak Mandarin.

Lin is now semi-retired. Aside from resolving tough cases at the consulting firm, Lin lectures widely, passing on his experience to others. And when he comes back to Taiwan he can use Chinese, and it's really relaxing and fun.

Now nearly 80, Lin is still accompanied when speaking by his wife of 50 years. "She often sits below the stage and gestures to him to guide his speaking volume and expression." He says, laughing. "In fact she doesn't really understand the contents of the talks, but she deeply comprehends one thing: I love great engineering, like the Great Wall. But the Great Wall divided men-- and bridges tie men together."

[Picture Caption]

The design of the Kuantu bridge is weightless and fluid--It's the work of master bridge builder Lin Tung-yen that he likes the best. (photo by Arthur Cheng)

(Left) Lin's concept for an 80-kilometer "Bridge of Peace" linking the U S and USSR across the Bering Sea.

(Below) The design for this bridge, named the Ruch-a-Chucky bridge, located in California in the US, has already been completed. Steel cables will be used to lock the bridge into the rock, without any buttresses. You can see here the devotion to adapting to the natural scenery.

This bridge in Argentina, diagnosed by Lin, has rusted from erosion by sea winds and water.

(Right) One of Lin's creations: The High Bridge in Minnesota, USA.

Lin Tong-yen and his cherished wife in Taipei. (photo by Arthur Cheng)

Lin lobbied President Reagan for his "Bridge of Peace" plan.

（Left） Lin's concept for an 80-kilometer "Bridge of Peace" linking the U S and USSR across the Bering Sea.

（Below） The design for this bridge, named the Ruch-a-Chucky bridge, located in California in the US, has already been completed. Steel cables will be used to lock the bridge into the rock, without any buttresses. You can see here the devotion to adapting to the natural scenery.

This bridge in Argentina, diagnosed by Lin, has rusted from erosion by sea winds and water.

Lin Tong-yen and his cherished wife in Taipei. （photo by Arthur Cheng）

（Right） One of Lin's creations: The High Bridge in Minnesota, USA.

Lin lobbied President Reagan for his "Bridge of Peace" plan.