Feng-hsi Liu
On behalf of Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Arizona
Dr. Feng-hsi Liu, Professor Emerita in the Department of East Asian Studies and longtime director of the Chinese Language Program, passed away in March.
She joined the University of Arizona faculty in 1991 as an Assistant Professor and Director of the Chinese Language Program. Over the past three decades, she has played a pivotal role in shaping and expanding the Chinese language curriculum, fostering a rigorous learning environment for generations of students. Throughout her long and distinguished career, Dr. Liu demonstrated an unwavering commitment to scholarship, teaching, and service, leaving an indelible mark on the institution and the field of Chinese Linguistics.
The author or editor of four books and numerous articles and book chapters on Chinese language and grammar, Liu left an indelible mark on the institution and the field of Chinese Linguistics. In addition to leading the Chinese language program, she was also Director of Graduate Studies from 2019 until her retirement in 2024.
Beyond her scholarly work, Liu consistently led various cultural initiatives that greatly supported student retention and program development. The most recent example is a $210,000 Huayu BEST grant Liu received in 2024 from Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, funding major Chinese holiday celebrations in the department and providing critical financial support for our students to study abroad in Taiwan.
Liu received her Ph.D. in Linguistics from UCLA in 1990, her M.A. in Linguistics from the University of Iowa in 1979, and her B.A., Foreign Languages and Literature from National Taiwan University in Taipei in 1977.