In October, 2019, I attended a yaji (elegant gathering) that included both the San Diego Guqin Society and the Los Angeles Hanfu Group. Also in attendance was my teacher, Master Lui Pui-yuen (呂培原) and Shifu Yanli of the Shaolin Temple, both pictured here with me. Following the event, Yanli suggested a name that I should consider using for my Chinese name: Ji Kang (嵇康). I didn’t know it at the time, but Ji Kang was a famous scholar, poet, and guqin player from the Three Kingdoms Period in China. This was my first introduction to Ji Kang and his writings.
Years later, I needed to formally adopt a Chinese-language name in Taiwan. As my wife and I considered different options, I remembered Yanli’s suggestion. Far from being a guqin master, I didn’t think I could possibly live up to the Ji Kang name. However, I recalled that Ji Kang had a courtesy name or “style name” of Shuye (叔夜), which combined well with my wife’s family name, Chang (張), giving my Chinese name, Chang Shuye (張叔夜).
Born out of my passion for guqin, the name has become synonymous with the deep connection I feel to ancient Chinese culture. Likewise, the more I read about Ji Kang and appreciate his personality and worldview, the more I realize how much I personally aspire to the name.