Adet Lin (; May 6, 1923 – 1971) was a Chinese-American novelist and translator. She also published under the name Tan Yun. She was also known as Lin Rusi.

Biography

The oldest daughter of

Lin Yutang Lin Yutang ( ; October 10, 1895 – March 26, 1976) was a Chinese inventor, linguist, novelist, philosopher, and translator. His informal but polished style in both Chinese and English made him one of the most influential writers of his generati ...

, she was born in

Amoy Xiamen ( , ; ), also known as Amoy (, from Hokkien pronunciation ), is a sub-provincial city in southeastern Fujian, People's Republic of China, beside the Taiwan Strait. It is divided into six districts: Huli, Siming, Jimei, Tong'an, ...

and came to the United States at the age of thirteen. With her sisters Tai-yi and Mei Mei, she published ''Our Family'', an autobiographical work, in 1939. In 1940, with Tai-yi, she published ''Girl Rebel'', a translation of the autobiography of Xie Bingying. The sisters published a second book, ''Dawn over Chungking'', in 1941. After studying at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manha ...

, she went on to work for the American Bureau for Medical Aid to China from 1943 to 1946. Afterwards, she returned to the United States and worked for the

United States Information Agency The United States Information Agency (USIA), which operated from 1953 to 1999, was a United States agency devoted to " public diplomacy". In 1999, prior to the reorganization of intelligence agencies by President George W. Bush, President Bil ...

and the

Voice of America Voice of America (VOA or VoA) is the state-owned news network and international radio broadcaster of the United States of America. It is the largest and oldest U.S.-funded international broadcaster. VOA produces digital, TV, and radio content ...

. She published her first novel ''Flame from the Rock'' in 1943; the book is set in China during the

Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Thea ...

. On May 1, 1946, she married Richard Biow, son of advertising executive Milton H. Biow. Lin killed herself in

Taipei Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the ...

in 1971.

Selected works

* ''Our Family'' (1939), with Lin Tai-yi (Anor Lin) * ''Dawn over Chungking'' (1941), with Lin Tai-yi (Anor Lin) and Lin Mei Mei * ''Flame from the Rock'' (1943), under pseudonym Tan Yun * ''The Milky Way and Other Chinese Folk Tales'' (1961) * ''Flower Shadows'', translation of

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdo ...

poetry (1970)

References

1923 births 1971 suicides 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American translators 20th-century American women writers Chinese women novelists Columbia University alumni People from Xiamen Republic of China novelists Republic of China translators Writers from Fujian Biow family Chinese emigrants to the United States Suicides by hanging in Taiwan {{China-writer-stub