Roger T. Ames was born in 1947 in Toronto, Canada. As a professor at the University of Hawaii, an advisor to Nishan Shengyuan Academy, Chairman of the World Association of Confucian Culture Studies and Vice Chairman of the International Confucian Association, he is an internationally famous expert in Sinology.

    He is a leading figure in Chinese & Western philosophy and is famous in China and abroad for his translation of books such as theAnalects of Confucius(论语),Sun Tzu’s Art of War(孙子兵法),Huainan Tzu(淮南子) andTao Te Ching(道德经). He was the Chief Editor toPhilosophy of the Occident and Orientas well as theInternational Chinese Book Reviewand the author ofConfucian Philosophical Thinking,Thinking from the Han: Self, Truth, and Transcendence in Chinese and Western Culture,Anticipating China: Thinking Through the Narratives of Chinese and Western Culture,the Art of Rulership: A Study into Chinese Political ThoughtandDemocracy if the Dead: Dewey, Confucius and the Hope for Democracy in China. Roger T. Ames once received the guidance of Liu Dianjue and became proficient in classical Chinese, then to one of the most outstanding modern scholars of Classical Studies. In 2013, he was awarded the"Confucius Culture Award" by the 6th World Confucian Congress. Then he won the second "Huilin Prize Award" in 2016.

   In 1947, Roger T. Ames was born in Toronto, Canada. He left Toronto in 1966 to study at the School of liberal Arts in Redlands University, California, the United States. On a normal day on campus, he came across an advertisement promoting a sponsor that will select a student to study abroad in Hong Kong. Enticed by the opportunity, he applied for the sponsorship according to the requirements and passed the test.

   After arriving at Hong Kong, he studied at Chung Chi College and New Asia College. Under the careful guidance of “Neo-Confucian” masters such as Lao Siguang, Tang Junyi and Mou Zongsan, a completely new world of Chinese philosophy suddenly opened up right before his eyes. This was a completely different domain from Plato, Aristotle and other pioneering Western philosophies, so Roger Ames’ academic scope was clear almost at an instant, to focus on conducting comparative research into Chinese and Western philosophies. Not only did this determine his research orientation, but also this experience of travelling half the world to Hong Kong made him personally aware of the Chinese lifestyle and their values under the guidance of Confucian Thought and that Chinese Confucianism is their flourishing and continuous tradition.

   In the following year, he departed Hong Kong on the USS President. Since then, he studied at Columbia University in Canada, National Taiwan University, University of London and Cambridge University. He also successively trained under Zhang Foquan, Chen Guying, Fang Dongmei, Liu Dianjue and Angus Graham amongst many famous scholars.

   In 1978, after completing his studies at the University of London, he moved to the Hawaiian Islands on the recommendation of his mentor, Professor Liu Dian.

   At his post in the University of Hawaii’s Department of Philosophy, within a period of decades, Professor Roger Ames together with David Hall, Rosement and others, successively published a series of widely recognised academic works, as well as translatedTao Te Ching(道德经),the Analects of Confucius(论语),Zhongyong(中庸),Sun Tzu’s Art of War(孙子兵法),Sun Bin’s Art of War(孙膑兵法) andHuainan Tzu(淮南子) amongst Chinese philosophical classical works. Under the proposal of Professor Roger Ames and several other professors, the University of Hawaii founded the Centre of Chinese Studies. Under his leadership, the East-West Center and the University of Hawaii established the World Association of Confucian Culture Studies, Hawaii became an important base for communication between Chinese and Western philosophy. Roger T Ames himself and his academic thought also became more and more familiar with students of Sinology.

   In order to promote Chinese culture to the world, Nishan Shengyuan College, in cooperation with Beijing Foreign Studies University and the University of Hawaii, cultivated internationally qualified teachers and held the International Chinese Culture class for qualified teachers. The class of students was primarily made up of teachers from America and Europe, as well as partly made up of teachers, postgraduates and PHD students to participate in the studies. Professor Roger T. Ames, Professor Angus Graham from Brown University and Professor Tian Chenshan from Beijing Foreign Studies University served as the class’ head teachers, using English to teach Chinese traditional classics, such asthe Analects of Confucius(论语),Mencius(孟子),Xiaojing(孝经) andTao Te Ching(道德经). In addition to classroom lectures, the study curriculum included seminars, the study of rituals, visits (including academic visits), surveys, local traditional operas, Tai Chi, traditional medicine, the arts among other cultural experiences.

1947: Roger T. Ames was born in Toronto, Canada.

1965 – 1966: Attended Redlands University in California, United States.

1966 – 1967: Studied at Chung Chi College and New Asia College, met Mr Tang Junyi, Mr Mou Zongsan and later studied from Professor Lao Siguang in Hong Kong.

1970: Graduated from the University of British Colombia with a double Bachelor’s Degree in Asian Studies and Philosophy.

1970 – 1972: Was taught by Mr Fang Dongmei, received a Master’s Degree in Philosophy from National Taiwan University.

1973: Awarded a Master’s Degree in Asian Studies and published theIssue of Chinese Philosophy, [Taiwan Business Press].

1973 – 1975: Studied at Osaka Foreign Studies University and Tokyo Education University.

1977: Cooperated with Yang Youwei to translate and publish the English translation of Chen Guying’sToday’s Interpretation of Lao Tzu(老子今注今译及评介) [San Francisco Center of Chinese Information]

1975 – 1978: Studied his PHD at the School of Asian and African Studies in the University of London and was taught by Mr. D.C. Lau and met Professor Angus Graham. Completed PHD dissertation:Huainan Tzu’s Political Philosophy.

1978: Became a professor at the University of Hawaii’s Department of Philosophy.

1980: Worked with David L. Hall to create the “Chinese Philosophy and Culture” series of books (150 series) in the New York State University Press.

1983 – 1984: Was a visitor to the National Taiwan Univeristy; publishedthe Art of Rulership: A Study into Chinese Political Thought[University of Hawaii Press 1983].

1986 – 1987: Went to the University of Cambridge, Carlisle Hall as a researcher.

1987: Chief Editor of the book,Philosophy of the Occident and Orient. Co-authored with David L. Hall to the bookThrough Confucius[State University of New York Press].

1990: Director of the Asian Research and Development program at the University of Hawaii and the United States Center of the West and East. Awarded the Medal for Outstanding Teaching by the University of Hawaii’s school board.

1991 – 2000 / 2004-5: Director of the Center for Chinese Research at the University of Hawaii.

1992: Began to hold the International Chinese Book Reviews as the primary editor.

1993: Was a distinguished visiting professor to the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Department of Philosophy; published the English translation of Sun Tzu’s Art of War [Random House 1993].

1995: Co-written with David L. Hall and publishedAnticipating China: Thinking Through the Narratives of Chinese and Western Culture[State University of New York Press 1995]. Published the Chinese translation ofthe Art of Rulership: A Study into Chinese Political Thought[translated by Teng Fu, Peking University Press].

1996: Cooperated with Liu Dianjue to translate and publishSun Bin’s Art of War[New York Ballantine Books]. Published the Chinese translation ofConfucian Philosophical Thinking[translated by Jiang Yiwei and Li Zhilin, Jiangsu People’s Publishing Press].

1998: Co-written with David L. Hall and publishedThinking from the Han: Self, Truth, and Transcendence in Chinese and Western Culture[State University of New York at Albany Press].

1999: Received an Honorary Doctorate at the University of British Colombia’s Okanagan Campus. Co-translated with Liu Dianjue and publishedDemocracy of the Dead: Confucius, Dewey, and the Hope for Democracy in China(先贤的民主) andHuainan Tzu’s Tracing Dao to its Source(淮南子•原道) [Ballantine Book 1998]. Co-written with Lawson and publishedthe Confucian Analects : A Philosophical Translation[Ballantine Books 1998]. Published the Chinese translation ofThinking from the Han: Self, Truth, and Transcendence in Chinese and Western Culture[Translated by Shi Zhonglian, Jiangsu People’s Publishing Press].

2000: Held the 8thCongress of Eastern and Western Philosophers: Technology and Cultural Values in the New Millennium.

2001 – 2002: Given the title of “Professor Fulbright” by the Department of Philosophy at Peking University. Appointed the professor of the Shang Yongtong and Cai Yuanpei Academic Lectures; Co-translated with David L. Hall and publishedFocusing the Familiar: A Translation and Philosophical Interpretation of the Zhongyong[University of Hawaii Press 2001].

2002: State University of New York Press at Albany re-publishedSun Bin’s Art of War. A Portuguese translation was also published.

2003: Co-writted with David L. Hall and publishedDaodejing: Making This Life Significant[Ballantine Books]. Published the Chinese translation ofthe Confucian Analects : A Philosophical Translation[translated by Yu Jin, Chinese Social Sciences Press].

2004: Appointed an advisor to Nishan Shengyuan College. Published the Chinese translation ofDemocracy of the Dead: Confucius, Dewey, and the Hope for Democracy in China[translated by He Gangqiang, Jiangsu People’s Press 2004].

2005: Published the Chinese translation ofAnticipating China: Thinking Through the Narratives of Chinese and Western Culture[translated by Shi Zhonglian, Shanghai Xuelin Press]. Re-published the Chinese translation ofThrough Confucius[translated by He Jinli, Peking University Press].

2009: Co-written with Rosemont and publishedThe Classic of Family Reverence: A Philosophical Translation of the Xiaojing[University of Hawaii Press].

2010: Awarded the Distinguished Academic Award by the Department of the Arts and Humanities at the University of Hawaii. Published the Chinese translation ofThe Classic of Family Reverence: A Philosophical Translation of the Xiaojing[translated by He Jinli, Peking University Press].

2011: PublishedConfucian Role Ethics: A Vocabulary[co-published by the Chinese School of Hong Kong Press and the University of Hawaii Press] and scheduled to publish the upcoming Chinese translation [translated by Meng Wei Long, Shandong University Press]. Published the Chinese translation ofFocusing the Familiar: A Translation and Philosophical Interpretation of the Zhongyong[translated by Peng Guoxiang, Chinese Social Sciences Press].

2012: Awarded the Outstanding Academic Research Award by the School Board of University of Hawaii; elected the President of the Society of Asia and Comparative Philosophical Studies.

2013: Awarded the Confucian Culture Prize by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and the Provincial Government of Shandong. Published the English translation of Sun Tzu’s Art of War [Translated by Li Ling, Zhonghua Book Company].

2016: Awarded the Huilin Culture Prize by the International Chinese Culture Communication and Research Center at Bejing Normal University; invited to be a scholar of the Bogurui Research Institute; won the title of “Confucian Master” (儒学大家) in Shandong Province; appointed lecturing Professor of Humanities at Peking University.

   Tian Chenshan, Professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University and Director of the Center of East-West Relations. Has been engaged with Sino-American educational exchange and research work at the University of Hawaii for many years. Once a senior researcher at the Center for Globalisation Studies. Studied from Professor Roger T. Ames and Neo-Confucian Cheng Zhongying and has a Master’s Degree in Political Studies, Master’s Degree in Philosophy and a PhD in Political Studies. Published many of China’s top academic journals in the United States; published the philosophical treatiseChinese Dialectics: From Yijing to Marxismin English; took charge of the organisation of large-scale International Academic Conferences; had been to many American and Chinese universities as a teaching professor of courses in political studies and philosophy.

   After going to the United States in 1987, Tian Chenshan was involved with Sino-American exchange and research work at the Center of Chinese Research in the University of Hawaii, published the English treatise entitledChinese Dialectics: From Yijing to Marxism, which was published by the People’s University Press last year. It states that the Chinese model made remarkable achievements throughout the world, yet the interpretation of China’s path of development and political thought is misread by numerous debates within the Western political world and academia. This is resulting in a misinterpretation of China due to a lack of understanding, to the extent where it has given rise to the concept of the so-called “China Threat”. Introducing to the West the Chinese culture and understanding China’s current path of reforms and model is an urgent and important for task for the Chinese academic community. After Chinese Dialectics was published in the United States, it earned the reputation of marking the end of the battle of Western Academics for Chinese Marxism and was considered by many commentators as a must-read.

   After returning home to China, Tian Chenshan taught in Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou, Shanghai University, Shandong University, Beijing Foreign Studies University amongst other key Chinese universities, his mannerisms and speech reveals the unique elegance of a Chinese scholar. He considers the most important thing he brought back was a broader and global perspective of China and its culture. Teaching in China and imparting all he had learned into students is what he considers the most meaningful to him, communicating and researching with young students keeps his mind active and contributes to academic progress and his students’ every question can give him new insights.