Wing Yung

Born in Guangdong in 1828, Yung Wing is best known as the first Chinese student to graduate from an American college, earning his degree from Yale in 1854. He later became an interpreter, diplomat, and reform-minded advocate for bringing Western education and technology to China.

He played an important role in the Chinese Educational Mission, which sent young Chinese students to study in the United States in the 1870s. His memoir, My Life in China and America, looks back on a life shaped by travel, political upheaval, and the hope that education could help transform a nation.

For listeners today, his writing offers both a personal story and a rare window into a period of dramatic change. It is especially engaging for anyone interested in immigration, cultural exchange, and the early encounters between China and the United States.