The Chinese program at Southwestern had just started prior to Jingyu Gu's arrival in 1996. He has since helped develop the curriculum and expand a four-semester program into six, thus allowing international studies majors the opportunity to fulfill their entire language requirement by taking Chinese.

"I have really enjoyed overseeing the transformation of this program. It's certainly not an easy subject, so I'm encouraged that more students are seeking knowledge of the language."

With a background in language and comparative literature study, Gu knows that any foreign language class can be among the most arduous subjects because of the time one must invest to perform well. But above all, Chinese has been ranked the most difficult language to learn by the United States Department of Defense.

"China is earning recognition as one of the more prosperous countries in the world because of its steady economic progress," he says. "If we talk about the world becoming a small family, we must learn as much as we can about other countries. Language is the most intimate window through which we can view another culture. Without it, we are set apart." Gu encourages his students to visit or study in China and typically has two students participate in study abroad opportunities there each year.

Gu was born and raised in Shanghai, China. His father was dean of a school before being sent to a workshop as punishment for his political beliefs during the Rightist movement. The family's property was taken in the 1940s and they were treated as "second-class citizens." Despite this, Gu went on to pass the national exams in 1978 and enroll in the Department of Foreign Languages at Anhui University.

After completing a degree in English language, he was selected into an M.A. program in English Literature at Fudan University where he would join the faculty teaching English language and literature. With no Ph.D. programs available to him in China, he ventured to Texas in 1987 with $25 in his pocket. He entered the Ph.D. program in Comparative Literature at the University of Texas at Austin, where he also taught Chinese for five years before accepting a position at Southwestern.

Gu is married to Patty Falo, an accountant and financial analyst. He has a son from a previous marriage who lives in Detroit.

He has retained his part-time status in part because much of his time is spent researching, practicing and teaching the Chinese Taoist tradition. For the last ten years, he has directed the Tai Chi and Chi Kung Meditation Center in Austin.

"The traditions of Taoism are the main part of Chinese culture, pertaining to religion, philosophy, medicine, etc. It is an intellectual pursuit of uncovering the potential of human beings. I teach practices that carry out this philosophy."

Gu says most of his students come to the class looking for healing. Gu calls this "inner alchemy" and focuses his teachings on "the harmonious interweaving of the physical body, psychology and spirituality.

"Doctors in both China and the U.S. have prescribed their patients to study tai chi, especially for chronic conditions like high blood pressure, arthritis, migraines and back pain. I'm approaching 50, and my health is better than when I was 25."

Many Taoists believe that the human being can be transformed into a saintly, or immortal, state—that humans have unlimited physiological and psychological potential. While some in the intellectual community have found these beliefs to be scientifically suspect, Gu points to recent research that shows some of these capabilities are possible.

"Academically, people have begun to accept what I study. Scholars have approached me about my work because Taoism is ancient, but relevant. More and more people in this country are studying tai chi. In fact, universities like Wisconsin-Madison and Emory now offer classes in tai chi and conduct medical research on tai chi's health benefits. It is a practice that is available to everyone, and it is my passion."