The Harvard-Yenching Institute is deeply saddened to acknowledge the death on December 20, 2020 of Professor Ezra F. Vogel at age ninety. Professor Vogel was a brilliant scholar of Chinese, Japanese and American society whose best-selling books had a major influence in all three countries. His life’s mission, reflected in his writings, his teaching and his public service, was to promote mutual understanding among the three Asian Pacific powers in order to prevent a recurrence of past historical tragedies.
Professor Vogel was for many years an active member of the HYI Board of Trustees. In addition to his invaluable advice to the HYI staff, he also served as a kind and generous mentor to countless HYI Visiting Scholars and Fellows.
The Institute expresses its sincere condolences to Professor Vogel’s family and its heartfelt sympathies to the many, many students and colleagues whose lives were touched by him.
Elizabeth J. Perry
Director, Harvard-Yenching Institute
Tributes to Prof. Vogel:
- Dumplings and Dialogue: A Former Student Remembers Ezra Vogel (Jia Wenjuan, Shanghai University; HYI Visiting Fellow 2011-12)
- New York Times
- Washington Post
- Japan Times
- Tribute (in Chinese) by Chu Yun-han
- “A son of the West whose passion pointed East” (China Daily, 1/15/21)
Tributes from Harvard centers:
- Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies
- Harvard University Asia Center
- Program on U.S.-Japan Relations
- Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies
Professor Vogel at HYI’s fall reception, 2016
Professor Vogel with students, including former HYI fellow Chen Xi
Professor Vogel with HYI Grassroots Training Program Visiting Scholar Zhou Fenghua, 2010
Professor Vogel with former HYI Visiting Scholar Wang Zhen in Singapore (2020)
Professor Vogel with former HYI scholars Shen Yifei, Liu Zhijun, and Zhang Zhiqiang, 2007
Professor Vogel with former HYI Visiting Scholar Sun Peidong
Professor Vogel with former HYI Visiting Scholar Cao Jin
Professor Vogel with former HYI Director Tu Weiming, Prof. Wesley Jacobsen, and former HYI research associate Qin Zhaoxiong
Professor Vogel with former HYI scholar Niu Dayong
Professor Vogel with former HYI Coordinate Research Scholar Zhang Jishun
Professor Vogel with former HYI scholars Wang Horng-luen, Huang Chang-Ling, Ho Ming-sho, Yang Miaoyan, Tang Junchao, and Su Yihui