The Chin-Tang Lo Papers, a remarkable collection that will significantly enhance the library’s resources in Chinese studies, has been acquired. Generously donated by Lo in 2024, the collection provides invaluable insights into the life and work of Lo and other influential scholars in modern Chinese literature and culture.

Chin-Tang Lo made history in 1960 as the first scholar to earn a Ph.D. in Chinese literature in the Republic of China (Taiwan). His dissertation committee was led by Hu Shih, a renowned scholar and Columbia alumnus. Throughout his distinguished career, Lo taught at universities across Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United States, with a particularly long tenure as a professor at the Center for Chinese Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa before his retirement. Lo’s research and teaching focus primarily on the history of Chinese literature, with an emphasis on traditional Chinese drama and Buddhism. Lo is also an esteemed poet and artist of traditional Chinese painting.

The Chin-Tang Lo Papers (Part One) contains both Lo’s personal documents and nearly 200 letters from 135 influential intellectual, cultural, educational, and political figures from China, Taiwan, Japan, and other regions during the 20th century. This extraordinary collection will enrich Columbia’s existing Chinese studies holdings, providing essential resources for research and teaching in modern Chinese literature and Buddhist studies.

The papers were thoughtfully organized and generously donated to the library by Lo through the tremendous efforts of Juliet Tierney, a close friend of Lo and an accomplished Chinese literary writer. Juliet Tierney played a crucial role in preserving and promoting Chin-Tang Lo’s intellectual and cultural legacies, ensuring that his scholarly and cultural contributions continue to inspire future generations of students and scholars.

This acquisition strengthens library’s commitment to advancing research in Chinese literature and related fields, supporting interested researchers who seek to deepen their understanding of modern China and its cultural traditions.