The Importance of Living by Lin Yu-tang

PUBLISHED in 1937, this book has found its way into the private libraries of book readers and collectors who consider this tome by Professor Lin Yutang as one of the most enlightening ever published before World War II.
It expounds the simple joys of living that are constantly overlooked by many of us. The answers to peace of mind and to live with a perpetual smile are found in the classic Chinese philosophy of looking for the extraordinary in the ordinary.
Lin has an easy way with English which he uses to communicates his philosophy of life with great finesse. With most books that touch on any philosophy of the gentler kind, understanding of the subject by the reader is crucial.
Lin's clarity of ideas is done with humour that is very much part of his persona. Thus, in a relaxed and easy manner, his ideas seem most logical and agreeable even to the most cynical among us. The writer was born on October 19, 1895, in Fujian, southeastern China. He obtained his bachelor's degree at the St. John's University in Shanghai. His academic excellence earned him a partial scholarship for a PhD programme at Harvard University.
However, he didn't complete his stay at Harvard and moved on to France and later Germany. It was in Germany where he completed his PhD course. Lin then went on to teach English literature at Peking University.
Lin Yutang's childhood memories of his mountainous hometown remained with him his entire life. Much of what he loved about country living was reflected in The Importance of Living.
Metaphorically, this book is like walking on the beach early in the morning and witnessing the splendour of dawn as light peeks over the distant mountain top. Lin has a knack of reminding us of what's really important in life.
Some of the most pleasurable and greatest moments of an individual's life are found in simple activities like hearing the rustling of the wind through the trees, or watching the rain sweeping gently across the land.
This book and his earlier work, My Country My People (1935), established Lin's reputation around the world. Lin once remarked that he was a man whose feet were firmly planted on the East while his head hovered in the West.
Throughout his life, one of his chief aims was to build a bridge over the cultural chasm between the West and the East. His fame stretched beyond the borders of his homeland and lasted longer than his lifespan of 81 years.
The following quotation from The Importance of Living reflects Lin's understanding of life and his countrymen: "One can learn such a lot and enjoy such a lot in 70 years, and three generations is a long, long time to see human follies and acquire human wisdom. Anyone who is wise and has lived long enough to witness the changes of fashion and morals and politics through the rise and fall of three generations should be perfectly satisfied to rise from his seat and go away saying `It was a
good show,' when the curtain falls."
A reader of this book will have the same feeling when he finishes it.