Yorkson T Shen (1897-2000) – His Excellency Ambassador Yorkson Ching Ting Shen of Lihu’e died peacefully in his sleep on June 6, 2000, after suffering a fall in his home on the day before, culminating a long life of distinguished
Yorkson T Shen (1897-2000) – His Excellency Ambassador Yorkson Ching Ting Shen
of Lihu’e died peacefully in his sleep on June 6, 2000, after suffering a fall
in his home on the day before, culminating a long life of distinguished
diplomatic service for the Chinese government beginning from mainland China
through the years of Taiwan.
Educated in a French school in Japan, he
graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1921. An accomplished linguist, he
was fluent in Chinese, Japanese, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and
German. In 1935, he headed the Chinese legation in Panama.
By the end of
the World War II, he manned the Chinese Mission to occupy Japan in conjunction
with General Douglas MacArthur. Then he was envoy to Cuba, Costa Rica,
Dominican Republic, etc., and headed the Chinese embassies in Brazil and Japan.
He cultivated a close friendship with former Emperor Hirohito. Upon
independence of the Congo, he established the embassy in Leopoldville
(Kinshasa) and went on to head the embassy in the Shah’s Iran. He came to
Lihu’e in 1988 to retire and write his memoirs and political commentary.
He is survived by two sons, Henry of China and Richard of Pasadena and
daughter-in-law Aida,two grandsons, one granddaughter and one
great-grandson.
