Journey of discovery

It was late April when a friend sent me a copy of British writer Simon Winchester's new book, The Man Who Loved China: The Fantastic Story of the Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked the Mysteries of the Middle Kingdom. I was immediately fascinated by the biography of British sinologist Dr Joseph Needham (1900-95).

Dr Needham, better known as Li Yuese in Chinese, is very famous in China for his great series Science and Civilisation in China (Zhongguo Kexue Jishu Shi). Like most Chinese, I haven't read this work. But I'm grateful and full of respect for Dr Needham for his efforts to introduce China's history and civilization to the world.

Winchester's book consumed me as I hungrily followed every discovery that Dr Needham made about China - sharing his anxiety over why China no longer led the world in science and technology, his happiness over the enthusiastic reception to his book, and feeling upset when Dr Needham faced problems.