Shaojun Lu

1962 - 2000

 



"Last Rain in a Golden Autumn" -- Ohio State, Fall 1998 by Shaojun Lu

March 7, 2000 -- The picture that you put on the website (red fruits with rain drops) for Shaojun also one of my most favorite pictures. We talked about this picture in e-mail. Here is the words shaojun send to me to explain this picture: "I knew you meant the one entitled 'the last rain in fall', I took this one on a rest area in Ohio state last year. I felt it was very beautiful and very monumental since snow would be coming soon at any time and the fruits had to fall down to the earth without being paid attention by other." But because of Shaojun, we all know how pretty these little fruits are. From Annie, Shaojun's fiancée


Lotus in Huntington Library by Shaojun Lu

March 7, 2000 -- Since Shaojun decided to be a Buddhist a few days before he passed away, based on Buddhism teaching, people who have belief in Amita Buddha will be pick up by Amita Buddha when they leave this world, and be born in graceful lotuses in Amita Buddha's pure land. Shaojun has two lotus pictures in his album (in the flower catalogue). Would you please put either of them in his memorial website too. From Annie, Shaojun's fiancée

Shaojun Lu, in memoriam...

We remember our friend and colleague, Professor Shaojun Lu, with this website.

Shaojun Lu received an MA degree from Wuhan University in China, where he taught library and information science for several years, first as a Lecturer, then Associate Professor. He came to the United States and earned a Ph.D. degree in 1998 at the UCLA Department of Information Studies. He taught for a year at the University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science as a Visiting Assistant Professor, then took up a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the Computer Science Department at the State University of New York at Oswego.

His research interests included information seeking behavior and scholarly communication with a focus on the impacts of the Internet, and information consulting and marketing. His dissertation is titled "The Transition to the Virtual World in Formal Scholarly Communication: A Comparative Study of the Natural Sciences and the Social Sciences." He published over forty journal articles and two mongraphs in China, including Principles of Information Consulting Studies and the Practical Encyclopedia of Library and Information Service in China (editor in chief). He won the Chinese National Scientific and Technological Information System Research Award. He also published several articles in English. He was also an avid photographer and one of his images is at the top of this page. More of his work can be seen at http://mingo.info-science.uiowa.edu/~lu/photo-gallery/. His full curriculum vitae is at his website: http://www.cs.oswego.edu/~sjlu/.

Shaojun became ill in winter 2000 and died in his home on March 1, 2000. His fiancee, Zhaohui (Annie) Yang, nursed him throughout his illness. He is also survived by his parents and brothers and sisters in China.

We who knew him will miss his kind and gentle spirit, his intelligence, and his wisdom about life.

Marcia J. Bates, Professor
UCLA, Department of Information Studies

A Message of Gratitude from Annie

March 17, 2000

Dear friends,

After contacted with a lawyer and the Oswego county court, I know that the money in Shaojun's bank account will go to his parents. Shaojun named his elder sister as his Retirement fund beneficiary, who has poorest financial situation in his family. So she can get Shaojun's help this time because Shaojun's kind concern. The court had pointed a person to take charge of Shaojun's issue after they received the paper work of Shaojun. So please do not worry that the government will freeze his account.

I donated the furniture and most of Shaojun's clothes to Salvation Army after I cleaned them, I guess Shaojun would like me to do this. Then I drove to Chuang-Yen Buddhist Monastery located in Carmel (close to New York city). Agreed by Shaojun's parents, Shaojun's urn will be permanently set in the Thousand Lotus Garden in this monastery. Chuang-Yen Monastery is the headquarters of the Buddhist Association of the United States. This monastery is a very open and holy place. It has graceful and magnificent Buddhist Buildings and great Buddhist teachers there. It hold different national and international activities each year. Different Buddhist groups and religions groups are invited for communication, teaching and friendship ceremony. Wish you all have chance to visit this monastery in the future. It is loved and respected by both Chinese and American. I prayed in front of Amita Buddha and Guan-Yin-Pu-Sa to help Shaojun to go to the pure land smoothly without attachment. The place where Shaojun's urn is set is very peaceful and sacred. You can feel the great kindness of Buddha and Pu-Sa around it, protect it.

At this place, Amita Buddha's name is chanted all the time.

I came back to Massachusetts last night and start to work today. I received the condolence cards from Shaojun's friends from different places. I regard the people who wrote these cards with great compassion and they really moved me deeply. I also appreciate friend's donation to Shaojun and me. I have not decided how to use it , but it will be used to for Shaojun.

Best Wishes for all of you, I pray for all of you while I pray for Shaojun everyday.

Yours sincerely,

Annie <zhaohui_yang@hotmail.com>

Services for Shaojun

  • The funeral service for Shaojun was held at Dowdle Funeral Home, Oswego, NY , Saturday, March 4th, from 1:30 - 3:00 in the afternoon. Besides his colleagues and students in Oswego, his friends and former colleagues came all the way from Boston, Iowa City, New York, Pittsburg, Syracuse, and Toronto to pay their last respect to Shaojun. His department chair, Prof. Rameen Mohammadi, and long time friends, Yuanpu Shao and Yao, shared their compliments for and memories of Shaojun. Prof. Marcia Bates, Shaojun's doctorate advisor, also sent in a touching word to share at the service. Two Buddhist masters from Albany, NY performed a Buddhist ceremony.

    Ming-te Pan's photographs from the funeral service can be seen at http://www.oswego.edu/~pan

  • A memorial service for Shaojun Lu was held in the Forum, Hewitt Union at SUNY Oswego, Thursday, March 9, 4:00pm.

    A message dated March 11, 2000 from Ding Zhang on the memorial service:

    Last Saturday we had a memorial service for Shaojun Lu at SUNY-Oswego. Relative to the time that Shaojun had been here, a lot of people attended the service with many of them didn't know Shaojun well. Dr. Hao Yang and Dr. Mingte Pan together workded out a great Powerpoint presentation and showed at the memorial service. The Powerpoint includes a biography of Shaojun, his publications, his award, his education, many of his pictures he took and other people took for Shaojun and Annie, concluded by Dr. Marcia Bates's remark about Shaojun. The Powerpoint presentation went well along with the famous Chinese music "Lian Zhu". Dr. Jian Qin and her husband, representing his older friends came from Syracuse and spoke. Shaojun's fiancee, Annie Yang, recalled the last chapter of Shaojun's life with her, filled with remembrance of their happy moment together, Shaojun's brave deeds in struggle against the disease, and how they hand in hand fought to the last minute... Annie's speech will be, I think, soon posted to the memorial web. Professor Mohammadi of Computer Science Department had hosted the service and spoke first. Dr. Lu's student, Dolores T. Rubenau, shared her memory. Shaojun's Chinese friends and colleagues at Oswego, Dr. Ding Zhang and Dr. Hao Yang recalled some of Shaojun's stories at Oswego. Dr. June Dong, took vedio of the entire course of the memory service, planning to send the vedio and other pictures to Shaojun's parents in China. Many of Shaojun's friends had emailed to Ding Zhang their remembrance of Shaojun in China, in LA, in Iowa. Most of these stories were read over the service.

    He lives forever in our hearts! Thank you all.

    Photographs from the Memorial Service

Memorial & Scholarship Funds

The Shaojun Lu Memorial Scholarship promotes the recruitment of outstanding students and excellence in doctoral study in information studies in the Department of Information Studies at UCLA. The scholarship commemorates Dr. Shaojun Lu, who received the Ph.D. degree in Library and Information Science in 1998. It is awarded to entering and continuing students in the Information Studies Ph.D. program who demonstrate exceptional qualifications and whose special financial needs present a particular challenge to doctoral study.

Dr. Lu's achievements constitute a success story, but one that would not have been possible without much needed financial support. The Shaojun Lu Memorial Scholarship is the type of scholarship that he would have merited, and which wlll be used in support of other students in similar circumstances.

Dr. Eugene Garfield, Chairman Emeritus of the Institute for Scientific Information, has generously offered to match contributions to the Lu fund.

Please send tax deductible donations to:

Shaojun Lu Memorial Scholarship Fund
GSE&IS Development Office, UCLA
2043 Moore Hall, Box 951521
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1521

Please make checks payable to: UCLA Foundation
Please note on the subject line: In Memory of Shaojun Lu
Contact person: Andy Trilling (310) 206-0375 <trilling@gseis.ucla.edu>



The following is a March 15, 2000 message about the Oswego scholarship fund:

Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Students of Shaojun Lu,

When Dr. Lu died, I thought about establishing a scholarship fund here at SUNY Oswego. I spoke with Professor Mohammadi and Dr. Brindle as well as Clara Chu from UCLA.

UCLA has established a memorial fund. Last week, a group met and discussed a possible scholarship fund aimed at international doctoral students. Since Dr. Lu came here from China to study for his doctorate, this seems like an ideal fund to honor his memory.

I will not be working on a separate scholarship fund here, so contributions may be sent to [the UCLA memorial fund, see above for more information].

In terms of a local memorial for Dr. Lu, I spoke with Professor Mohammadi and Dr. Brindle about establishing a library of CS/IS books to be used for reference by the students here. We are hoping to get space in Penfield Library for this purpose. We are also hoping that professors will donate a few books each that would be helpful to students learning Java, HTML, etc.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email me.

--Chick Rubenau <rubenau@OSWEGO.EDU>

Messages and photos from friends

  • From ASIS-L, March 3, 2000 -- I regret that I cannot attend the service on Saturday. However, I would be interested in some kind of memorial gesture for Shaojun. Please convey my deepest condolences to his family and fiancée.

    --Eugene Garfield, Ph.D., President, American Society for Information Science <garfield@codex.cis.upenn.edu>

  • Read during Shaojun's funeral services, March 4, 2000 -- I thought I was teaching Shaojun, but he was teaching me about gentleness and patience and wisdom, larger than our daily life.

    --Marcia J. Bates, Professor, UCLA, Department of Information Studies

  • Read during Shaojun's funeral services, March 4, 2000 -- Shaojun and I came a long way from Wuhan University to North America. Today, I represent all our classmates from Wuhan University library school to bid a farewell to Shaojun.

    Shaojun is gone, but left with what we, as his best friends, will remember and do for our friends and people around us. There are a few things about Shaojun I would particularly like to share with you here. Shaojun was a man of honesty, a man of integrity and a man of principle. He showed us a man doing things according to the principles, he treated people equally. Shaojun was a very hard working individual. He published numerous research papers and two books. He was a top researcher. Shaojun had a helping nature. Shaojun was there whenever his friends needed him. When there was a request, whether formal, or informal or just an indication, he was there to give his hands. Shaojun was a very responsible individual. This was shown in his teaching, writing and daily life. We admire him.

    Shaojun has gone, but has left with assets to us and the world at large. He will be remembered with loving memories. Shaojun, have a safe journey! You'll be with us in our hearts!

    --Shaoyuan Pu

  • March 5, 2000 -- I was very shocked to hear of Shaojun's death. I met him about 2 years ago before I started the master's program here at UCLA. He was a caring, intelligent guy who was very nice to me. I saw him last summer before he was to start his new position at SUNY Oswego. I was very surprised to hear that he was going there, as I was an undergraduate there from 1984-1987 and I knew what kind of weather was in store. I wished him the best and told him that maybe I would see him again in Oswego one day. My sincerest condolences to Shaojun's family and friends.

    --Mark William Holmes UCLA Graduate School of Information Studies <mark64@ucla.edu>

  • March 5, 2000 -- Shaojun described his graduation in June 1998 as "the most exciting day of my life." I was glad to celebrate his success with him. I remember how he started out as a new international student living in the grim dorm rooms of International House, struggling each year to get the financial aid and to get American skills like playing racquetball and driving a car. Eventually he even passed me and the survivors of earlier cohorts, graduating while we still lumbered along toward the end. I was so happy to learn that he had cleared the final hurdle and had the tenure-track position that would start a stable professional career in the US.

    I had looked forward to celebrating my eventual triumph over the Ph.D. with him, as I had my wedding and my daughter's birth. But now I can only miss his kind presence in my life and regret that our friendship was cut short by his sudden passing.

    Photos from Shaojun's graduation

    --Cheryl Boettcher Tarsala, Ph.D. Candidate, Dept. of Information Studies, UCLA <cmboett@ucla.edu>

  • March 8, 2000 -- As a long time friend of Shaojun, I was shocked into deep disbelief at the news of his passing away. I met Shaojun at UCLA in 1994 when I started my MBA program there. We not only performed Chinese Teaching Assistant duties together, but also shared photography as our hobby with great enthusiasm.

    Shaojun was a caring and dedicated person with a big heart. Even during those long and, from time to time, harsh student life in foreign country, he never lost his wisdom and optimism, and always gave courage to prople around him. I feel lucky to have him as a friend during my years at UCLA and beyond.

    I wish the best to Shaojun, his family, and his loved ones.

    --Alex Du, Merrill Lynch Private Client Group Beverly Hills, CA

  • March 8, 2000 -- It was the hardest thing for us to do by letting Shaojun leave us. Shaojun was not only a great man but an outstanding scientific worker. He had made significant and substantial contributions to the field of library and information science. You can find his works in most of the libraries in the United States. Receiving funds from a private grant, he also designed and developed a novel internet database of several thousand photographs from the early 1900's,which will educate children and adults of all cultures about the history and culture of early twentieth century southern California.

    As a very close friend over the past 14 years, I know Shaojun was a kind-hearted, humorous gentleman, always ready to help his friends,students, colleagues and others. When he told me that he was diagnosed as having cancer and could only live for weeks, we tried so hard to save his life in our way. His fiancee Zhaohui Yang told me that a chinese medicine called Lingzhi spores may let him live longer, I went to Chinatown in Queens and Manhattan, looking from store to store, finally I found the medicine. We also heard that a snow lotus from Tibet(Xizhang) is a cure-all for toxins. we contacted the person willing to share the medicine. When I went to New York City for the pickup, I was so happy when I thought that this medicine could save my best friend's life.

    I took 2 days off from work and drove 7 hours to Oswego to bring him medicine and to see him. Although he lost some weight, he didn't lose hope. We talked a lot about our past and about our future. We went to see Lake Ontario and Oswego River. He told me he would go fishing this summer with me and then go back to teach during the fall semester.We also went through some of his photo albums. When we found a photo of us two dated April 1992, we both laughed.When I left Oswego, he hugged me and said "We'll see again". Three days later, his fiancee called me that he's gone forever. I never believe it, he'll always live in my heart, and will live in many people's heart.

    --Zuowu Yao, Senior Scientist <zyao@ms.cc.sunysb.edu>

  • March 8, 2000 -- When I think of Shaojun, I remember our efforts to recruit him into the PhD program at UCLA: the carefully-arranged telephone interview between him in China and a group of us in Connie Nyhan's office at UCLA; the sense that we were choosing someone of great ability and character; the cobbling together of financial support from various sources so that he could enter the U.S.; and the satisfaction of seeing him arrive, at last, on the UCLA campus.

    I also remember his first, awkward days in Los Angeles. Helping him with paperwork and showing him around the area. Having him over for dinner and a viewing of "The Last Emperor," and discussing Chinese and American films until late at night.

    Finally, I remember the joy of seeing him at conferences as a newly minted PhD, applying for -- and getting -- his first faculty positions. How far he came in his life, and how quickly he did so. His courage and drive were an inspiration to me.

    --Donald O. Case, University of Kentucky <dcase@pop.uky.edu>

  • March 8, 2000 -- Shaojun and I were classmate when we were in Wuhan University from 1984-1987. He knew my husband, his LaoXiang (they both came from Manchuria), Gong Ke, in 1987. We had not seen him since 1990 although we kept in frenquent touch. We met again in Pittsburgh in October, 1998. We both presented papers in ASIS annual conference. I was so glad to find that he looked as young as before. After the meeting, Shaojun, Hong Yi, Zhang Jin, Tiantian, Shaoyi, my parents, and I went together to visit the famous Fallingwater. The house was closed but we enjoyed very much the beautiful Automn scene and took some memoriable pictures. Shaojun called us one day last Spring and said he would go to Oswego for a campus interview and finally he joined the faculty there. He said he followed my route from Iowa to Oswego, I was amazed with such a happy coincidence. We was surprisingly happy for him and hoped him successful in purpusing a new career there. We introduced our friends June and Ding to him. I told him he would work with a group of wonderful faculty and intellegent students. I also reminded him to take good care of his health and suggested him to make use of his expert skill in photography to take beautiful picutures of famous sunset in Oswego. I met him again in San Antonio in January. He told me he had a very nice girlfriend. They visited Florida together last December. They were engaged and would get married in March. They also planned to go back China for the honeymoon! He was very happy and looking forward the future life. I was so touched and happy for both of them. We said good-bye in front of Guntle Hotel on January 14th. I have never thought that it would be our last meeting in this world. As his friends, my husband and I will always remember him as a kind, caring, enterprising, and hardworking men. We believe Shaojun live happily in Amita Buddha's pure lotus land.

    Amita Buddha.

    --Hong Xu School of Information Sciences University of Pittsburgh <hxu@mail.sis.pitt.edu>

  • March 8, 2000 -- Shaojun, we met through my wife, Yan, in the UCLA library at the time you just arrived UCLA. Life was pretty tough back then. Yet we celebrated in spirit whenever we could. I heard your laughter often.

    Maybe we had a similar temperament; maybe we looked the world in a similar set of lens. We shared our thoughts quite a bit. We could readily understand and appreciate each other. I am glad that you liked some of the pictures that I took for you. I tried to capture the original upbeat, gregarious, and humorous Shaojun.

    Just a couple of days before you were in peace in heaven, I talked to you and arranged a visit in April on behalf of your friends in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, I could not shake your hand one more time and could not hug you once more.

    You were truly in peace. Annie is such an exceptional lady. Our only regret is that you have not met her earlier enough ...

    Shaojun, your smile, your warmth, and your spirit goes on. You will be with us forever. May you rest in heavenly peace. Amen.

    Here is a little verse dedicated to you -

    "Muse mutes
    Bell knells
    our favorite friend is in peace -
    in heavenly peace

    Cherry blossoms
    Morning haze blursom
    Rekindle your warmth
    our favorite friend's with us
    ..."

    --from Michael Wen, Yan Zhang Wen, and my boy, DoDo <WenM@pwba.dol.gov>

  • March 8, 2000 -- Here is a picture taken in 1986 when Shaojun studied as a graduate student in Wuhan University. As his former classmate, colleague and long-time friend, no words can express my sadness for his passing away. I feel that something was taken away with him.

    We had a good time together with Shaojun in the beautiful campus of Wuhan University. We enjoyed Christmas party all night, went outing, talked about the past and the future , shared our dreams and wishes. All of us were looking forward to a fulfilling career, a happy family and a better life. In my memory, Shaojun had strong will, warm heart, always ready to help others and seldom ask for help. He worked very hard and obtained much achievement.

    The last time I met Shaojun was in Pittsburgh. He had been there for ALISE 1998 and stayed at my apartment for several nights. We didn't have much time to talk because he and my husband were busy for the conference. We went to Falling Water, a famous scenic spot outside of Pittsburgh, together with Shaoyi, Hong and her parents. When we found that it was closed, we said we would go there again. I am so sorry that we could never go there with Shaojun.

    In the picture, nine of the class are in North America. When we heard about his sickness, we tried our best to help and encourage him in our way. But nothing could stop his leaving. He left all of these behind in such a hurry. After Shaojun's passing away, three of the class went to Oswego for Shaojun's funeral service. They bid a farewell to Shaojun not only for themselves but also for the whole class. Thank Shaojun to make us get in touch each other.

    I wish Shaojun be happy in the other world!

    --Yi Hong, School of Library and Information Science, The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee <yihong@uwm.edu>

  • March 8, 2000 -- I was really shocked and sadden after learning the news this morning that the Lao Lu we knew at UCLA had passed away. It is just like yesterday that I first met Lao Lu at CO-OP in 1993 when he came to UCLA for his Ph.D.. We kept teasing each other for the similarity in the spelling of our names, especially in initials(SJL). Lao Lu was a very friendly, intelligent and hard working person. After I left CO-OP, I bumped into him many times in the Graduate Reserve Area at the UCLA University Research Library. Sometime we chatted and complained together about the difficult life as a graduate student, especially a poor and foreign one. He told me that he was going to Iowa the last time I met him. One year later he sent me an email message and told me the exciting news that he was going to SUNY Oswego. There was no doubt in my mind that he was on his way to be an excellent educator and researcher in Information Science and Technology. I am so sad that another young and productive life has been cut short, and he used to be one of us, someone we knew so well. Lao Lu, we will always miss you. Hope that you rest peacefully in heaven! We will carry forward your cause and work.

    --Shi-Jun Liu, Ph.D. <SLiu@fmax.com>

  • March 8, 2000 -- What a loss to us all here at the University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science. I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Lu as president of ASIS. He gave a highly professional, brilliant presentation to our luncheon meeting, always was friendly and good-natured, always had time to help with our projects. He impresssed me as a man of sterling qualities: high standards and a good heart. My sypmathy to all of his family and friends. He is gone, and there is no other to take his place.

    --Suzanne Araas Vesely <suzaraa@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu>

  • March 9, 2000 -- I remember how surprised and pleased I was to discover Shaojun's sly, quiet sense of humor. He had a counter on his student web page that showed there had been millions of visits to his site-smile.

    I have read many messages from Shaojun's friends. It is clear he was loved, respected, and held in high esteem by everyone who cared about him. This knowledge must have given Shaojun and Annie great comfort and solace. It is clear Shaojun gained a lot of personal satisfaction from his love of photography. His eyes through his camera picked out the beauty in nature and the joys of children.

    I am very impressed by the strength, love, courage, dedication and wisdom of Annie throughout this difficult ordeal. Shaojun and Annie were blessed to have been a part each other's lives at the right time. I have great respect for Annie, and Shaojun was indeed a kind and gentle soul.

    --Lydia J. Doplemore UCLA, Department of Information Studies

  • March 9, 2000 -- There is a Chinese saying "Yuan to encounter someone once". That was what happened between me and Shaojun.

    As a member in MBA (Massachusetts Buddhist Association), I have known Annie Yang (his financee) for about 2 years. Last December, I had a chance to meet both Annie and Shaojun just outside Yen-Jing Library in Harvard University, Boston. I was on my way back while they just arrived for another lecture. He introudced himself with warm smile -"I am Lu Shaojun, nice to meet you !" Since it was windy and cold that day, I replied - "It is windy outside, please hurry up to get inside. Hope to talk to you in the future". Surprisingly, there is no such future between us.

    One day just before they went to Disney World, Annie asked me how do I feel about Shaojun. Knowing a person in such a short time, usually I would keep my reservation, however, his kindness and sincerity make me confidently to say - "He is a right person for you". Alas! the creator really want to make fun of us.

    After Shaojun diagnosed with liver cancer. Both Shaojun and Annie showed us a great courage and compassion. What is the true love? What is the humanity? No words can reveal better than the whole process demonstrated by them in the last month, Feb 2000.

    Shaojun, It does not need long to know a person. Our short encounter will through all eternity. Your love and your kindness will always with us.

    --Chow-Chin Chuang <cchuang@nexabit.com>

  • March 9, 2000 -- I entered UCLA in the same year as Shaojun and we stayed there together for several years. As one of my friends, he always showed his warm heart and kindness. His readiness to help friends and his gentle character had been deeply engraved in my memory. The last time I saw him was when he came back from SUNY to LA last year. After a dinner in Dahai's home I gave him a ride to his teacher's house. We first drove to a supermarket where he bought a bunch of flower and then, after arriving at the destination, we bid farewell, which now turned out to be a farewell for ever. I am deeply grieved over the loss of one of my respected friends. Shaojun was a man of exceptional qualities. He proved his abilities through his hard working, his publications, his tenure-track professorship, and his numerous friends. And he eventually won the love of Zhaohui, whom he loved wholeheartedly. My best wishes to Shaojun and sincerest condolences to Zhaohui and Shaojun's family.

    --Huaiyin Li, History Dept, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO <lihu@missouri.edu>

  • March 9, 2000 -- After being in shock and learning about Shaojun's illness, I had held out hope for Shaojun and had wanted so much for a miracle cure that I was not ready to hear the news of his death. I saw him briefly at the ALISE Conference and it was wonderful to see his smile and to know that he was happy because he was engaged to be married. I didn't get a chance to learn much about Annie at that point but since his illness I've had the opportunity to see that indeed he had met a wonderful person with whom to share his life. Although he was suffering physically, his spirits were high because of the love he shared with Annie.

    Shaojun was young and still had so much to share of his talents and kindness. He was very approachable and could put anyone at ease. My earliest memories of him was his good sense of humor. My research assistant had told him that she worked for peanuts and upon hearing that, he gave us a puzzled look. We explained that it meant she had a low salary. After that, we would pass by the hall and either say, "How many peanuts did you make today?" or "No peanuts today."

    Someone's life will have meaning if s/he has lived it being true to him/herself and by helping those in need. Shaojun exemplifies this and so I say "good-bye" but will hold on to wonderful memories of you, dear friend and colleague.

    --Clara M. Chu, Assistant Professor, UCLA <cchu@ucla.edu>

  • March 10, 2000 -- My tribute to Shaojun-- You left us too soon. But life cannot be measured by time. Your life is your message and your message is profound!

    --Peiling Wang, University of Tennessee, <peilingw@utk.edu>

  • My wife and I were shocked by the news that Shaojun had passed away. As a friend and roommate of Shaojun when he was at UCLA, I have witnessed all those "highs and lows" of his great endeavor both for his career and for his emotional world. I am very happy for him because he finally got all of them. Shaojun was a true man, a man made of caring, loving, a man who never eat his words, and a man who always thought of other persons first. Although his life was short, he experienced all the tastes of a most wonderful life, all the laughter, anger, sorrow, and happiness which a lot of people may never experience during their entire life. Shaojun, you should be able to rest in peace up in the Heaven, and you will live in all your friends' heart forever.

    -- Huaqing Cai and Yulin Zhang <caihq@atmos.ucla.edu>

  • March 11, 2000 -- I was totally shocked when Zuowu called me to inform me about Shaojun's passing away last night. After the conversation, my wife and I sat well after mid-night. We couldn't believe a friend that we, all my families, know so well, so closely and for so long, just left.

    When Shaojun called about his engagement with Anne, we were so happy for him and couldn't wait to see the wonderful life ahead.

    Shaojun and I were classmates in the Graduate School of Wuhan University from 1984 to 1986, and we both taught at the University after graduation. In those years, we shared fun, thoughts, and food. Even though he was just two years older than I, I always felt about his helpfulness, maturity, self-control, and strong drive for success. After I left for the US in 1989, Shaojun took care things for me at the university for severl years. When he decided to come to UCLA, we helped arrange part of the financial support for his first year.

    During the time when Shaojun was teaching at Iowa State, we met several times in Chicago. He often invited us to visit him in Iowa. We often said, "Lai ri fang chang" (The future days are many). Could we know the future days were not many, we would surely visit him in Iowa.

    Shaojun didn't talk about his love for photography, but through the photos in his carefully-designed web page, I could clearly see his great love for life and nature.

    Shaojun also had a great many other interests. One thing I knew when we were teaching at Wuhan University was his fascination with religious studies, especially the different Buddhist doctrines. I am very glad for him he finnaly found his destination in Buddha.

    Wish you rest in peace and satisfaction.

    (One reminder: when you come again, be Y3K-compliant!)

    --Tianyou Li <tli168@yahoo.com>

  • March 13, 2000 -- Life is not always easy for Ph.D. students and there is nothing better to keep the spirits up than getting together and talking about various issues and about each other's progress. During his stay at UCLA, shaojun and I used to meet regularly and talk about these things. We were both foreign students and seeing him graduate and getting teaching positions made me feel happy for him and full of energy. After a few years of living in separate coasts, we finally met a few weeks ago at the ALISE conference in San Antonio, TX. It was so wonderful to meet him again and to be left with this image of Shaojun as I always knew him: smiling, kind and positive. He was so happy to have found the woman of his dreams and to get married soon. That is life...
    To you my friend, I dedicate these verses from Lamartine:
    "Ainsi tout passe, ainsi tout lasse
    Ainsi nous-memes, nous passons helas
    Sans laisser de traces que cette barque ou nous glissons
    Sur cette mer ou tout s'efface."

    --Nadia Caidi, Department of Information Studies, UCLA <ncaidi@ucla.edu>

  • March 13, 2000 -- Spirit Lives For Ever

    I heard the early spring in New York state is very beautiful. That brings me to recall the spring in my hometown in Anhui. The green gradually spreads over the tree. The flowers are in bud. You can feel the spring breezes and listen to birds' singing. That is just a wonderful season that all things on earth recover from a long dormancy....What was Shaojun thinking about when he took his last walk with Zhaohui? Did he know he would be leaving us forever for Amita Buddha's Pure Lotus land?

    I will never believe the news I heard from Zhaohui is true. Shaojun will not leave me so fast. I still look forward to seeing him at Oswego very soon....One night when I mentioned to Shaojun that I wanted to see him, he told me better not since he knew school was always busy. Shaojun was just such a person that he always thought of other people first. It becomes my permanent regret that I did not see Shaojun once before he was gone far away.

    Shaojun was my best friend. He and my wife are all from Jilin. I still remember clearly when I first saw him in the kitchen of UCLA Co-op at the beginning of 1994. I just came to America and settled down in Co-op then. Shaojun was so nice, easy-going and selfless that he taught me how to wash the carpet in the kitchen... From then on, we became a close friend.

    Shaojun always had a loving heart and appreciated friendship. In 1994, I had to send my son back to China due to the tightened situation. When Shaojun knew this, he volunteered to rent a car to send my family to the Disney land since he hoped my family can have a happy time before my wife and my son left. As you may not know, Shaojun just got his driver license a short time before. He even drove across the intersection without stopping for the red light....When we recall this, we always appreciate it in our hearts. After my wife delivered the baby, Shaojun immediately came to visit us and rendered a help. Just before he went to Oswego for new position, he came back to UCLA to process his graduation document. He bought a toy and came over to see my son. He was in a hurry and even did not have a time to have a dinner with my family. I saw him off until he disappeared in the dusk. That was just the last time I saw my friend, Shaojun....

    Shaojun loved the beauty of nature and always found delight in life. He liked photography. His camera skill was at the professional level. We all watched poppy flowers at the same day and Shaojun took a snapshot of beautiful flowers. I remembered that he and my family went to the beach of Leo Carrillo State Park in Malibu. He took lots of photos for my family and the sea but did not let us to take more pictures for him. He said he liked sea....He also liked to try new things in his life. He went to many places in America for sightseeing. I remembered one day he was so excited to invite my family to go to Monterey Park sitting in his first car he just purchased in this country. The last time Shaojun came to Los Angeles was the summer of 1999. He took grey hound bus. I picked up him in the bus station and sent him to Co-op. He said he just wanted to feel the riding of grey hound.

    Shaojun was humorous, optimistic and full of lofty ideal. It was always a fun to chat with him about the life and academic dream. Many years ago, we walked along the street. We talked about what we would do after getting Ph.D. degree. He said he probably went to Beijing and joined the Ministry of Culture. When we talked about the future work in Oswego, he also had a grand plan. In his life, he never lost the hope. Recall one time, he led us to go to the channel island. We missed the cruiser since we were lost. But Shaojun did not feel frustrated at all and brought us to another fun place. After he learned his situation from the doctors, he still thought he could conquer this cancer and planned to teach after this summer.

    Shaojun was honest, righteous and never lost his dignity under any circumstances. Many times, he took his action to show he was the great man. Even he faced the financial crisis during the last days, he did not want to bother colleagues and students. He said to me that students did not have money and please did not bother them for donation.

    Shaojun was the most distinguished scholar but always humble. He never showed off his past and his achievements in front of friends and people. He was always in self discipline but generous to others in both life and academics.

    Shaojun, you were thoughtful for other people too much. You heart was full of love and giving, but you never asked the return of your kindness and love; Your financial situation was not good, but you still helped people out as more as you can by many times of donation; You felt frustrated some times, but you never changed the way to trust people, help people and bless people; You suffered too much pain, but you never felt desperate and gave up the hope. You did not leave any words before you were gone because you believed you be still with us, still one of us, still enjoy the life with us. You were not married and did not have a child, but you used your whole life to demonstrate who is the real man, who is the great human being and beyond that. Your personality, friendship and noble spirit will be the most precious thing in this world. They will accompany me and everyone who knows you to ever. Though you left at such a young age, you owned everything. You realized the dream that every foreign student wants. You life was short but had a perfect outcome. You had really completed what you dreamed about.

    The rainy season is hard to be seen in Los Angeles. My heart is broken.... But I seem to feel Shaojun is just standing by me. We are chatting and walking in UCLA. That continuous drizzle from the sky is just like Shaojun's whispering from the heaven. Dear friend, please set your mind at rest on the way to heaven. We will bear your friendship in mind for ever. Everything will go just as what you expect....

    Amita Buddha!

    Eternal life to you!

    --Dahai Liu in UCLA <uliu@ucla.edu>

  • March 13, 2000 -- I met Shaojun when I just came to UCLA in April of 1996. We shared a room at Coop and we became good friends from then on. I know little about his research before I read this web page. I do not wonder he is so brilliant at his career. He is always hard working and quick in understanding. What impressed me is his great personality, his deep love to people, to the nature.

    Before he came to States, he had been a professor in his university. He came to States and worked as a poor student to pursuit his dream. He had a lot of worries and suffering. He worried about his research, because he was eager to do more significant work for this world. He worried about his family, his parents are old and needing help. He is keen on having his own family. He worried about money like you and me, poor students have to manage his money to make two ends meet. However, there is something he is special. No matter how hard he worked, he is always smiling to his life. He is always giving his warmness to people around him. He is always trying to help his friends. I was amazed to find he combines chinese tradition and western culture into himself. He tried to improve himself at any time.

    Shaojun kept contact with me after I moved out of Coop. When he went back to LA from Iowa, we spend some nice time at some small cafe. We talked a lot about life, love, job, and some funny stuffs. It is always interesting to talk with him. His humorous and smart being would always give me something worth of thinking. We talked on phone quite often. He called me when he met Annie, I felt his happiness and wished he always be happy. He told me his health is not good, I urged him to see doctor. Based on my knowledge, I felt something no right when he told me he felt very bad at Antonio. His last email to me dated on Feb. 1st, telling me his scope diagnose showed nothing more than a little ulcer. I was happy when I got his message, but never thought of he passed away just in one month. I feel no wonder he didn't tell me his real case just not expecting to bother or suffer others. It is Shaojun who always shares happiness with his friends, while stands suffering himself.

    I will remember Shaojun. All his friends will remember him. He is such a soul with love. He is so brilliant in his career. We will remember Shaojun, our dear friend, with great proud.

    --Richard Li, Nortel Networks <runqili@nortelnetworks.com>

  • March 15, 2000 -- I was a student of Dr. Lu's while he was visiting at the University of Iowa. I took 6 hours of credit in the Spring semester from Dr. Lu (all three of the classes he was teaching.) I found him to be a gentle and compassionate soul and enjoyed his sensitive photographs of his travels. I was very sad to hear of his death and imagine that he is enjoying the coming of Spring in his new life. My heart goes out to his fiance, family and friends.

    --Cathy Bolkcom, LeClaire, Iowa <CBArts4@aol.com>

  • March 20, 2000 -- From Annie

    Dear Shaojun and my friends,

    How are you doing? Wish you are all doing good! I went to Chuang-Yen Monastery on the past weekend to sign the paper work for Shaojun's new apartment for his urn at Thousand Lotus Memorial Terrace. The number is E079. The homepage of this monastery is www.baus.org. It can give you some ideas about this place. There are some beautiful and magical stories that I heard about this monastery. This Thousand Lotus Memorial Terrace is regarded has very good "Feng-Shui". Anyway, the main concern is to find a peaceful and nice place. I like the mountain, the trees, the lake, the Buildings and warm-hearted people there, I feel it is the pure land in this world. Shaojun's parents like the idea too.

    I asked the Buddhist priests lit 3 lights in the temple for us based on the tradition: (1) for Shaojun's bright and peaceful future in Buddha's land. (2) for the well-bing of Shaojun's family (3 )for well-bing of all Shaojun's friends.

    I believe wisdom is the power, love is the wisdom, not matter what religions we believe in. We are actually one person. By different ways, we go to same direction. I respect both Jesus and Buddha.

    Best Wishes!

    Your student,

    Annie <zhaohui_yang@hotmail.com>
Last updated: 03/21/2000