Posted by Lucia Cheung
Jeremy Lin, the new rising star of American basketball, is stirring up a storm around the world, especially in Chinese communities.
The player, who is also a devoted Christian, is of Taiwanese descent so it’s no surprise he is Taiwan’s talk of the town.
Local newspapers have been dedicating whole front pages – and often several more inside – to him. They record every detail they can find, including his Christian faith and his positive attitude in facing setbacks.
“Everyone in Taiwan talks about Jeremy Lin. Ministerial meetings talk about Jeremy Lin and even when the President of Taiwan received foreign guests, he also mentioned Jeremy Lin,” said one news commentator.
And Catholic leaders are by no means immune from “Linsanity.”
At the launch of a comic version of his autobiography “Sharing Love” on February 21, Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi made a point of talking about Lin.
On the same day, when new president of Fu Jen Catholic University Vincent Chiang Han-sun met with the media, he cited Lin as a model for Taiwan’s students.
His success proves the saying that “opportunity is open to those who are well prepared for it,” he said.
“I think education in Taiwan should accommodate more variety, not just stressing on academics but also giving greater support to arts and sports subjects,” said Chiang, who is a musician and a medical doctor.
It’s certainly true that Chinese parents are very much concerned with academic performance and tend to be dismissive of non-academic studies. Some even regard those subjects as suitable only for people who are not great students.
Can Jeremy Lin bring about a change? Let is know what you think.
