Date: May 9, 2022

Source: Xinhua News Agency

Author: Yang Yichen, Li Danyang 

Photographer: Liu Jingrui

Huang Xing, a retired professor in JNU's College of Foreign Studies, celebrated her 100th birthday on April 28 at JNU.

Her motto is Do what I love, love what I do.

(A birthday party for Huang Xing in JNU's College of Foreign Studies)

From the ages of 5 to 17, Huang studied at the Diocesan Girls' School in Hong Kong, which gave her a solid foundation in English. After graduating in 1940, she was admitted to the University of Hong Kong to study English literature with private scholarships.

After finishing her studies there, Huang devoted herself to education and was invited to do translation for China Digest, the first English periodical published overseas by the Communist Party of China in 1946. During her teaching career, she set up an oral English class for generals and ambassadors who were preparing to go abroad. After retiring in 1986, she was invited to be a visiting scholar by the American National Academy of Sciences to teach English literature and poetry at 11 universities, including Harvard.  

After settling in Guangzhou in 2001, Huang began to write her autobiography and successively published four books, including China Bound.

(Huang at her book-signing session)

When JNU was re-established in Guangzhou in 1978, Huang was invited to rebuild the College of Foreign Studies with Zeng Zhaoke, Dai Weihua and other colleagues. She also taught English poetry and literature there.  

(Prof. Huang teaching at JNU)

(Huang with students and colleagues)

Talking about the meaning of Xing (Chinese for stars) in her name, Huang, whose original name was Huang Yixiang, said she changed her name because of the Five-Starred Red Flag. Before the liberation of Guangzhou in 1949, Xinhua News Agency called 1,000 young progressives to return from Hong Kong to the mainland to participate in national development. As one of the young progressives, Huang was very excited at the first sight of the red flag in the liberated area. “I decided to change my name to Huang Xing because it symbolizes small yellow stars on the national flag,” she said.

(Huang returning to the Chinese mainland with other young people for national development)

In 1950, she was invited to work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was newly established and in urgent need of talents with a good command of foreign languages.

During the Korean civil war, Huang was appointed by the Ministry to the Embassy of North Korea in August 1950 and worked for four months under the direct leadership of Counselor Cui Ying. In October 2021, she was awarded a commemorative medal by the Central Military Commission and the State Council on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Korean War.

(Documents and materials about the Korean civil war translated by Huang Xing)