Rodomontade

In Memoriam Dr. Wu Jieping

Professor Dr. Wu passed away on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 in Beijing. Our meetings had been brief. A couple of handshakes, nothing more, when he came to Jakarta, Indonesia, in the 1960s, as the head of the Chinese medical team to treat President Sukarno. I was a bystander looking on from the sidelines, or more precisely from behind my Dad, who was a member of the Indonesian medical team. Yet he left a lasting impression. And more profoundly so, when my sister and I were in Beijing, on our own, during the violent times of the Cultural Revolution, he came on his bike to visit us (no cars for private citizens at that time) to render words of caring and encouragement. We lost touch after we left for Hong Kong. But he was never far from my thoughts. Not having had the chance to say to you, Dr. Wu, in your life time, I say it now: You are a giant among men, for your kindness and friendship, for your faith in your country despite the years of turmoil. I Wish we kept in touch and became closer friends but even so few our meetings, you proved to be the best of all friends.