With 30 years of experience in writing and a profound knowledge of Chinese classical literature, Pan Chi-chun is one of the leading female authors in the Republic of China. As well as having a strong Chinese flavor, her works capture a feeling of sincerity, tenderness and emotion which have endeared her to readers from all age groups and strata of society.

Jet-black hair, a clear complexion and fine features combine to make Pan look younger than her more than 60 years. She always looks straight into the eyes of the person she is talking to, and impresses visitors with her openness and friendliness. Her childlike qualities of love and sympathy have been major factors in promoting her career.

Childhood: "People I met during my childhood keep coming back into my mind. The way they laugh, their behavior and their deep love for me are such vivid recollections that when I take up my pen to write about them, I am transported back to the innocence of childhood," she says.

Born in 1917 in a small village in Chekiang Province, Pan had an idyllic childhood. The people she knew during that period, particularly her mother, have all become immortalized by her pen.

In 1976, Lin Tai-yi, editor-in-chief of the Chinese edition of Reader's Digest, invited Pan to write an article on her mother. The story was so vivid that readers concluded that the two women were cast in the same mold. Brought up as a simple country woman, Pan's mother received little education, but her kindness and old-fashioned morality can serve as a model for all women, Pan considers.

She said: "Mother never got angry or aired grievances against anybody. I remember how once I wanted to make a cake for grandpa. It turned out to be a complete mess, since I had added too much water. But mother never scolded me, and instead advised me to try, try again. This admonition has always been in my heart, and cheers me when I feel frustrated."

She recalls that her mother would never gossip, and always was charitable to others. Pan remembers how once a neighbor sent over a basket of eggs as a gift. Marks placed on the eggs, however, showed that they had been stolen from Pan's home, probably by the neighbor's daughter. But Pan's mother warned her not to say anything. "What is the cost of these eggs? We should only think of the woman's kindness in sending them to us. She probably has no idea where the eggs came from."

Pan's attachment to her mother is best shown by her habit of sitting alone and allowing the memories to flow back. Sometimes, when she is tired of writing or doing housework, she hums the folk songs her mother taught her.

Her father was an army general who loved to read and write poetry. She owes much to him for her profound knowledge of classical Chinese-literature. When she was five years old, her father engaged Yeh Chu-hsiung to be her tutor. In the ensuing 10 years, Pan learned almost all the Chinese classics off by heart. This laid a firm foundation for her career as a prose writer.

Friends indeed: Pan has made friends of all ages since she was a child. She stresses that friendship has an eternal value, and uses her old friends as characters in her articles.

Describing her affection for an uncle Tong-hsien, she writes: "Once, on our way back from paying respects at my brother's grave, Uncle Tong-hsien and I had traveled many mountain roads before arriving at a stream. Torrents of water swept between the rocks, but my uncle let go of my hand and said: 'Now that your brother is gone, you will have to learn how to cross the river yourself.' I was surprised to see his stern face and knitted brow. I wiped away my tears and tried to get a foothold on the rocks. Suddenly I felt alone on a perilous journey. But looking back, I saw that Uncle Tong-hsien was close at hand."

In 1972, Pan was invited to visit the U.S. During the trip, she made many new friends through her considerate attitude. Once, on a tour of the Niagara Falls area, she noticed that her American guide looked downcast and indifferent to the beautiful scenery. When she heard that he had just divorced his wife, Pan advised him to go back and seek a conciliation. To wish them a happy reunion, she gave the guide some ornamental sachets. "You may present these to your wife as a gift. I wish you luck." Her warmth even thawed the ice which had frozen on his face. Wreathed in smiles, they posed for a picture together.

First attempt: After six years of education at a mission high school, Pan acquired a good knowledge of English and started to do translation work. In four years at college, she learned the art of writing poetry from her teacher, Hsia Chen-tao. The article which she wrote under his guidance, entitled "The Golden Box," was not published because of the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese war, however. It was eventually issued in the Taiwan Shin Sheng Daily News after she moved with the Government of the Republic of China to Taiwan in 1949.

After the success of this first attempt, Pan decided to capture all the nostalgia for her hometown and old friends in a series of articles. Prof. C. T. Hsia, a famous literary critic, once said that Chi-chun's prose has already established a place for her in Chinese literary history. "Her small pieces display a gentle and honest insights into the human condition in the best Chinese traditions."

Family: Chi-chun has been married to Lee Tang-chi for 31 years. Lee said: "Her inspiration sometimes comes from our life together. She always tells me what is in her mind before she puts pen to paper, and I am always first to read the result."

Chi-chun admits that her husband makes a big contribution to her work. She always bears in mind some advice from her old teacher: "A man and his wife must first learn humility before they can find happiness. Love must be complemented by devotion. Often couples who start off marriage happily enough, and pledge their love to each other, are later divorced. This is because they never realize the true bliss that devotion can bring."

In addition to her husband, Pan's son and her pets also play an important role in inspiring her writings. She regrets, however, that she was so engrossed in her own career that she did not spend as much time as she should have with her son when he was a child. To make up for this shortcoming, she now writes children's story books.

"I want to send the message out to children that the world is full of love and warmth. I also want them to develop an interest in literature. The impressions they receive from the adult world will deeply influence their future life. We should guide them to see the best side of the world," Pan says.

Chi-chun considers it important to allow children to have their own pets. The kittens she raises have served as an instrument of reconciliation between her and her son. "Pets help us to understand each other," she states. Her works have been an inspiration to her son, who has taken up a career on the sea.

Teaching: Pan started her teaching in the Hui-chung High School in Shanghai, and now lectures at the National Chengchi University. She has this advice to offer to students who want to take up a writing career: "We come across many stories in our lifetime. You must learn to think, feel and foster a keen insight. You must have humor and yet be sympathetic to the human condition. The most important thing is sincerity, because without sincerity, we have nothing."

A leading local prose writer, Liang Hsuen said: "Chi-chun is from head to toe a loveable person. She loves whatever man or thing she encounters. Everybody who knows her is amazed at her pure and kindly qualities."

In addition to writing, Chi-chun likes to do housework, including cooking and making handicrafts to send to distant friends as gifts. she also practices shadow boxing and swordsmanship, and listens to English-language broadcasts.

During the recently started Year of the Rooster, she plans to write four books. Book critic Yin Ti pays this tribute to Pan: "Generally speaking, a writer slows down as he advances in age. Chi-chun is one of the few exceptions. Her creativity seems to be getting stronger than ever."

[Picture Caption]

1. Pan Chi-chun often works until dawn to finish her articles, but still finds time to knit woolen sweaters and socks for her husband, son and friends, a skill she learned from her mother. 2. She has written about her experiences from life for more than 30 years.

1. Pan poses with her only son, Li Yi-nan, during her travels in the United States. 2. Her conversations with her husband, which cover all topics, are among the main sources of her inspiration. Every morning, the two walk around the campus, doing calisthenics, sword exercises and, most important, discussing various subjects.