Please join us for an exhibition honoring Professor Ch’en Shou-yi (Chinese: 陳受頤, 1899-1978), a pioneer and founding figure of the Asian Studies Program at Pomona College and The Claremont Colleges.

Professor Ch’en was a Chinese-American scholar known for his groundbreaking contributions to comparative cultural studies involving China and the West. After joining the faculty of Pomona College in 1941 as a professor of Chinese culture, he expanded the Asian Studies Program across Pomona College and the rest of The Claremont Colleges consortium. Ch’en dedicated his academic life to cultivating researchers on China among young Americans and, as part of these efforts, became a great benefactor of The Claremont Colleges Library, donating 4,000 Chinese and English rare books to the Asian Library during his lifetime and by bequest.

Professor Ch’en was born into a prestigious literati family in Panyu, Guangdong Province, China. He completed his undergraduate studies at Canton Christian College (later Lingnan University) in Guangzhou in 1920 and received a Ph.D. degree in comparative literature from the University of Chicago in 1929. He was thereafter chair of the history department at Peking University (now Beijing University) from 1931-1937, and later taught at the University of Hawaii for a short time before joining Pomona College. Ch’en retired from teaching in 1967 and passed away in 1978 at the age of 79.

Curated by Xiuying Zou, Head of the Asian Library, and Samuel Yamashita, Professor of History at Pomona College, this exhibit features photographs, correspondence, manuscripts and publications documenting Professor Ch’en’s significant contributions to the development of Asian Studies at The Claremont Colleges and beyond. The items on display are drawn from the Asian Library’s newly processed Ch’en Shou-yi Papers, which were donated by Professor Ch’en’s family. Funding for the processing of this archival collection was generously provided by Christopher C. Rand (POM ’70), one of Professor Ch’en’s students.

Exhibit Details
Asian Library Gallery, Honnold 3, The Claremont Colleges Library
(800 N. Dartmouth Ave., Claremont, CA 91711)
February 5, 2024 – September 27, 2024*
Exhibit on view during Library building hours

*Please note this is the correct end date; our calendar is limited to a 45-day window so the dates listed below will be updated as time goes on.

Questions?
Contact Xiuying Zou, Head of the Asian Library, by emailing xiuying.zou@claremont.edu or calling 909 607-4094.