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Merton's Correspondence with:

Richard Hu See-Yee Chi; Richard Chi; Richard S. Y. Chi; Chi, Richard S. Y.; Dick Chi; Chi, Dick

Chi, Richard Hu See-Yee, 1918-  printer

 
 

Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1966-1971, 1984
Volume: 38 item(s); 39 pg(s)

Scope and Content

Richard Chi and Merton first get in contact because of Chi's translations of Shen Hui's Ch'an (Chinese corollary to Japanese Zen) Buddhist writings. Later, Merton invites him to contribute to Monks Pond (Chi appears in the fourth issue). They also discuss Merton's trip to Asia.

Biography

Dr. R. S. Y. Chi was a scholar on many topics including Buddhism and Oriental art. He earned doctoral degrees from Oxford and Cambridge. Merton learned of him from Lunsford Yandell, who put them in contact in 1967. Dr. Chi was a professor at University of Indiana at the time of writing (Source: The Hidden Ground of Love, pp. 121-122).

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

Please click here for general restrictions concerning Merton's correspondence.

Related Information and Links

See also published letters from Merton to Chi in The Hidden Ground of Love, pp. 121-125; see also his contribution to Monks Pond; see also "Laughlin, James" file for 1970/12/21 letter to Lunsford P. Yandell.

Other Finding Aids

If the person in correspondence with Merton has full text records in the Merton Center Digital Collections, there will be a numeric link to them below.
   

Series List

This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.

Container List

Click icons for links: ✓="Published | Library Record", ✉="Scanned" | 🗷="Scanned, Viewable Only at Merton Center"

#DateFrom/ToFirst LinesPub ✓Notes
 y/m/dMerton Scan ✉ 
1. 1966/07/09 TL[c] from Merton I have your letter of the 3rd and will go ahead and plan on the article on Zen and Mysticism first. «detailed view»
2. 1967/12/26 (#01) TL[c] from Merton As you know, Lunsford Yandell has forwarded to me the excellent ms on Shen Hui, and I am reading it ✓ [encloses copy of 1967/10/10 letter from Merton to Lunsford P. Yandell - see "Yandell, Lunsford" file] «detailed view»
3. 1967/12/26 (#02) TLS[x] from Merton As you know, Lunsford Yandell has forwarded to me the excellent ms on Shen Hui, and I am reading it ✓ [encloses copy of 1967/10/10 letter from Merton to Lunsford P. Yandell - see "Yandell, Lunsford" file] «detailed view»
4. 1968/01/05 TLS to Merton Very many thanks for your letter of December 26, which I have just received after I returned «detailed view»
5. 1968/01/09 TL[c] from Merton Just a brief note in response to your welcome letter. I have written to my friend Dr Denis Goulet ✓ «detailed view»
6. 1968/01/11 TLS to Merton I thank you very much for your letter of 9th. I have had a telephone conversation with Dr. Goulet, «detailed view»
7. 1968/01/12 HLS[x] from Merton Here is a letter about some interest in your Shen Hui ms. [stapled to letter to Merton from Angus Cameron of Alfred A. Knopf publishers from 1968/01/05] / carbon copy to Ping Ferry [Wilbur H. Ferry] / on Chi's translations of Zen texts [Shen Hui] «detailed view»
8. 1968/01/15 TLS to Merton I have a few things to inform you before I have the pleasure of seeing you. «detailed view»
9. 1968/01/21 (#01) TL[c] from Merton I am grateful to you and Terence Grey. I have made a fairly short (a dozen pages) selection ✓ «detailed view»
10. 1968/01/21 (#02) TLS[x] from Merton I am grateful to you and Terence Grey. I have made a fairly short (a dozen pages) selection ✓ «detailed view»
11. 1968/02/06 (#01) TLS[x] from Merton Many thanks for your letter and for the additional pages completing the "Humorous Dialogue". ✓ «detailed view»
12. 1968/02/06 (#02) TL[c] from Merton Many thanks for your letter and for the additional pages completing the "Humorous Dialogue". ✓ «detailed view»
13. 1968/02/25 TLS to Merton I am glad to inform you that my manuscript on Shen-hui Record has been accepted by the University «detailed view»
14. 1968/02/28 (#01) TLS[x] from Merton Very many thanks for the revised Zen Dialogue. It is fine. I am saving it for the third issue ✓ «detailed view»
15. 1968/02/28 (#02) TL[c] from Merton Very many thanks for the revised Zen Dialogue. It is fine. I am saving it for the third issue ✓ «detailed view»
16. 1968/03/05 TALS to Merton Very many thanks for your letter of 28 February and your Monks Pond. I read it with greatest «detailed view»
17. 1968/03/14 (#01) TL[c] from Merton The preface to the "Humorous Dialogue" is very good indeed and though I really do not have space ✓ «detailed view»
18. 1968/03/14 (#02) TALS[x] from Merton The preface to the "Humorous Dialogue" is very good indeed and though I really do not have space ✓ «detailed view»
19. 1968/04/03 TLS[x] from Merton I am grateful for the xerox of Hu Shih's article. It was just what I needed to make everything fall ✓ «detailed view»
20. 1968/04/07 TLS[x] from Merton Here is my attempt at a preface. Naturally, as I said before, I expect you to find in it things ✓ [photocopied on the same page as 1968/04/03 letter] «detailed view»
21. 1968/04/23 TLS to Merton I am so sorry that xeroxing has taken such a long time, would you kindly excuse me. «detailed view»
22. 1968/07/25 TLS[x] from Merton I am sorry I was not able to see you and Denis back in May. Due to my trip to California and to ✓ «detailed view»
23. 1968/11/21 (#01) HLS[x] from Merton I have been having a very fruitful trip in Asia. I have been in India over a month, mostly in the ✓ «detailed view»
24. 1968/11/21 (#02) transcript from Merton I have been having a very fruitful trip in Asia. I have been in India over a month, mostly in the ✓ transcription of hand written letter «detailed view»
25. 1969/11/03 TLS[x]  from Horrigan, Alfred / to Richard Chi You will be interested to know that Bellarmine-Ursuline College is initiating a Thomas Merton invitation to the inaugural event to announce the opening of the Merton Studies Center / event on 1969/11/09 / John Howard Griffin to be the speaker «detailed view»
26. 1971/03/23 TLS[x] to Center from Chi, Richard I thank you very much for your letter, and I am enclosing Xerox copies of several letters by «detailed view»
27. 1971/04/15 TL[c] from Center to Chi, Richard Forgive me for being so long in answering your letter, but Fr. Pooler asked me to write you since «detailed view»
28. 1984/04/06 TLS[x]  from Shannon, William / to Richard Chi It was a delight to talk with you on the phone this afternoon. I thought it might be well for me happy to be able to include letters from Dr. Chi / seeking missing letters «detailed view»
29. 1984/04/10 TLS  from Chi, Richard / to William Shannon Very many thanks for your letter of April 6 and your book on the Inner Experience. enclosing letters: 1967/12/26, 1968/01/09, 1968/01/12, 1968/01/21 «detailed view»
30. 1984/04/14 (#01) TLS  from Chi, Richard / to William Shannon I believe that by now you have received my letter of April 10. With the kind permission of my enclosed - a copy of a letter [dated 1967/10/10] from Merton to Lunsford Yandell / this letter was attached to a letter sent to Dr. Chi on 1967/12/26 «detailed view»
31. 1984/04/14 (#02) TLS[x]  from Shannon, William / to Richard Chi I hope you do not mind me calling you Richard (and I hope you will call me Bill). We have thank you for 4 letters / also suggesting that Dr Chi write to Anne McCormick (sec. of Merton Legacy Trust) with the further suggestion that she forward the letter to the Trustees - a letter asking the Trust's permission to use an introduction that Merton wrote for Dr. Chi's book / also seeking identification of Masao Abe (possibly connected with the Eastern Buddhist journal «detailed view»
32. 1984/04/19 TLS[c]  from Chi, Richard / to Kenneth Inada I thank you for your letter and enclosures. I wonder whether you could do me a favor. seeking addresses for Masao Abe &/or Eastern Buddhist Journal from Professor at SUNY Buffalo «detailed view»
33. 1984/04/20 TLS  from Chi, Richard / to William Shannon I am very glad that by now we can be free from formality; indeed we have very much in common. Dr. Chi met Merton in January of 1968 / thanks for writing to Anne McCormick / letter has been sent to Japan re: Masao Abe (no carbon as stated) «detailed view»
34. 1984/04/27 HLS  from Inada, Kenneth / to Chi Richard Masao Abe's address now is The Department of Philosophy, University of Hawaii, 2530 Dole St. address for Masao Abe / also address for Eastern Buddhist Journal / letter forwarded to William Shannon «detailed view»
35. 1984/05/01 TLS  from Chi, Richard / to William Shannon I have just received a most satisfactory letter from Mrs. Anne McCormick, for which I wish thanks for William Shannon for his suggestion of writing to Mrs. McCormick «detailed view»
36. 1984/05/04 TLS[x]  from Chi, Richard / to Anne McCormick I write this letter through the kind introduction of Father William H. Shannon. In 1968 Father letter to Mrs. McCormick requesting that she forward it to the trustees of the Merton Legacy Trust / wishes permission to use Merton's introduction in his book on Chan of Shen-hui and to use correspondence between Merton and himself «detailed view»
37. 1984/05/24 TLS[x]  from McCormick, Anne / to Richard Chi Thank you for your May 4 letter which I have sent to the Trustees of the Merton Legacy Trust she passed on the willingness of the trustees to grant permission for use of introduction of Merton and correspondence with Merton / no honorarium requested «detailed view»
38. undated/no/no other   Who's Who In The World biography of Chi, Richard See-Yee / home Bloomington, IN «detailed view»
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