Redpine Bill

[Fu Lai]

Born in Los Angeles in 1943, Porter grew up in Northern Idaho, did a short stint in the US Army and then attended college at UC Santa Barbara. He enrolled for graduate school in anthropology at Columbia University but dropped out halfway through his Ph.D. program. Instead he flew to Taiwan, entered a Buddhist monastery and spent four years with the monks and nuns before leaving to work for various English language radio stations in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Afterwards he spent sixteen years in a rural Taiwanese monastery, translating classics in Chinese poetry.

 

"I don't affiliate myself with any institutions anymore," Porter quipped during his talk. Respected as a translator, he also is recognized as a cultural commentator and poet in his own right. A celebrated author, Porter frequently traverses the globe, from the North America to Asia. He is married to a Taiwanese woman he met while studying at his first monastery; their two children are now grown. Eccentric and kind, Bill Porter charmed his audience with his modesty, knowledge and humor. This highly educated eccentric has turned his love of Chinese poetry and religious philosophy into his life's work and created a unique lifestyle for himself.

 

http://english.cntv.cn/program/documentary/20130110/108722.shtml

Edited January 12, 2013 by Fu Lai (see edit history)

[credzba]

I love the video, it explains some things to me of my own life.

As I watch it I am 7000 miles from my wife, and 7000 miles from China...

 

I miss then both, but leaves have not covered the trail, I will find them both.

[Zhou Zhou]

Excellent story...there's always something I enjoy on the CCTV English Channel.

[Fu Lai]

The guy, who the Chinese repeatedly called eccentric seems so good to me.