Billy Brings Culture to the Laughing Stock of China

Well-respected architect and philanthropist, William Ming Sing Lee, was born into one of the wealthiest families in Shanghai. (see post one.) As a child, he wanted for nothing...except that which was unattainable: good health and a more empathetic mother. (see post two and post three.) While the war made some things--like great medical care--impossible, it gave him a window into western culture. He began studying at the Shanghai American School, and eventually came to study in the U.S. (see post four and post five.) While Billy's father prepared him for life in America, the man could not prepare Billy for what was to happen in China. (see post six.) Billy continued to persevere in America. He met many kind people along the way, and was forever touched by his homestay experiences. (See post seven.) 

One of the kindest people he met was was a Computer Science major at Radcliffe named Lucile. (She later worked for I.B.M, and was responsible for American Airline's first computerized-reservation system, as well as the U.S. Navy's Vanguard Missile-tracking system.  

 

Billy worked for the architectural firm of I.M. Pei, a man known for his design of such structures as the Louvre Pyramid (Paris), the John Hancock Building (Illinois), and the Bank of China Tower (Hong Kong). As an architect, Billy came up with numerous designs. But one of the structures he’s most proud of designing is a Pavilion in his ancestral city of Ningbo (south of Shanghai).

“Ningbo people are often the laughing stock of the educated elite. They are generally known as commercial people/seafarers.  Many are tycoons and own ships, but they don't have much culture. So I went back to teach architectural design, hoping to bring some sophistication to Ningbo culture. I don’t like people to be making jokes on my ancestor.”

For the Qian Kung Ting (Heaven & Earth Pavillion), he worked together with his architect cousin Ming Cho Lee (recipient of National Medal of Arts Award 2002 for Stage Design) and his brother Lee Ming Yee (famous for his Shenzhen Civic Center design).

Ningbo Pavilllion--"A whole family's effort."

“When you’re in the pavilion sitting on a bench, it almost feels like you’re in a boat. It’s a weird sensation, which I like. If you want people to remember something, you want them to remember something that is very unique. I gathered about a hundred-some relatives to donate to this. We didn’t want one big wealthy guy to donate money to the project. We got a whole lot of people participating. That project took six years!”

Later, he helped Ningbo University re-design their museum hall. 

“Again, I got a large group of Lee family members to donate.” 

He is still pushing for a music school in Ningbo, because he discovered that Yo Yo Ma’s ancestors are from there. For three years, he encouraged, and eventually succeeded, in getting the town leaders to bring the cellist  “home” to perform. 

“After all the ribbing and joking Ningbo has suffered, being able to claim Ma, Yo Yo on your home turf? Culturally speaking that’s hard to beat.”