State of the World from NPR What a Long Lost Typewriter Says About Chinese Culture
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Jul 8, 2025 A fascinating typewriter found in upstate New York opens a window into Chinese computing history. Experts discuss its design and the cultural implications tied to language preservation. The conversation delves into how technology shapes national identity against the backdrop of China's complex past. Discover the interplay between language, culture, and innovation as they uncover the typewriter's secrets.
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Long Search for Typewriter Ends
- Stanford professor Thomas Mullaney spent 20 years studying Chinese computers without ever seeing Lin Yutang's typewriter prototype.
- He felt like a family member just showed up at his doorstep when the machine was found in New York.
Typewriter Reflects Chinese Identity Struggle
- Lin Yutang's work on the typewriter paralleled China's political upheaval and cultural debates about modernization.
- His design preserved Chinese characters instead of replacing them with a Roman alphabet.
Lin Yutang's Costly Endeavor
- Lin Yutang nearly went bankrupt trying to build his Chinese typewriter.
- His only prototype was lost to history until recently discovered in a basement.