Daniel Tschudi (né Daniel Cole) is retired as of August 1, 2019. Daniel was the coordinator of the Center for 28 years, starting in 1991. Some highlights of his career include:
• Being an interpreter and the lead drummer for six UH Chinese theater (jingju and kunqu) productions directed by Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak, two of which toured China: Yutangchun 玉堂春 (Jade Hall of Spring) in 1990, Shajiabang 沙家浜 (Spark in the Reeds) in 1994, Silang Tan Mu 四郎探母 (Love & Loyalty) in 1998, Qin Xianglian 秦香莲 (Judge Bao and the Case of Qing Xianglian) in 2002, Yangmen nüjiang 杨门女将 (Women Generals of the Yang Family) in 2006, and Baishezhuan 白蛇传 (The White Snake) in 2010.
• Polishing translations and translating 30 Chinese plays for the series 100 Chinese Opera Classics 中国京剧百部经典, published by the Renmin University Press.
• Leading four summer study tours to China, two for SPEBE (“Special Program for the Enhancement of Basic Education” offered by the Hawai‘i Department of Education) and two for the East-West Center’s Asian Studies Development Program.
• Helping create the Center’s journal China Review International together with former Center director Roger Ames.
• Bringing professor emeritus John DeFrancis into the Center, and serving as technical and layout support for DeFrancis’ subsequent projects the ABC Chinese-English Dictionary, the ABC Chinese-English Comprehensive Dictionary, and the ABC English-Chinese Chinese-English Dictionary.
• Supporting the administrations of Center directors Roger Ames, Ron Brown, Rosita Chang, Fred Lau, Cyndy Ning (interim), and David Yang.
Daniel remembers the energy and optimism of the Center, and is deeply grateful to have been able to utilize his talents and indulge his love of China throughout his career. Following his retirement from the University on July 31, he will spend a year working for the Office of International Relations of Peking University, where alumnus and old friend HAO Ping 郝平 is currently university president. Daniel will return to Honolulu eventually, and looks forward to seeing and perhaps engaging in the next phase of the growth of the Center for Chinese Studies.
