Ronald Susilo's Chinese Name

Fiancee Li Jiawei has given Ronald Susilo a new Chinese name Lin Yu Feng , with full blessing from his parents. His Chinese name means "the peak of badminton".

Here's the report from today's Straits Times:


OCT 8, 2004
BADMINTON

Ronald Susilo's new name: Lin Yu Feng

FOR $60, Ronald Susilo got himself a new name.

Now, the Singapore badminton player is also known as Lin Yu Feng, a Chinese name specially chosen three weeks ago by his fiancee, national paddler Li Jiawei.

He had it added onto his pink identity card, paying $60 to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority for the procedure.

This is not just a name picked out of the blue. In Chinese, yu means badminton, and feng means the peak.

Together, they imply 'the peak of badminton', very appropriate for a world-class shuttler like Susilo.

Susilo told Lianhe Wanbao: 'Jiawei spent a long time selecting the characters, figuring out the combinations for the best meanings.

'At first, I thought the name was innocuous, but after she explained the meanings, I realised she cared so much about my career's success. I'm very touched.'

He then called his parents in Indonesia to seek their approval for his new name. Not only did they agree, but they also suggested that the Chinese name be added onto his identity card.

So, while Li was away for competition last week, he went quietly to a lawyer to get a deed poll done.

Obviously, the name-giver was pleasantly surprised when Susilo told her the news.

Said Li: 'I was first stunned that he went to do it so quickly, then felt very happy. It shows he likes the name a lot, and he trusts my opinion.

'I hope he can live up to his name.'

Incidentally, Jiawei's name means 'excellent flower' in Chinese.

Now comes the harder part for Susilo - learning to write the characters.

Said Susilo: 'More practice, and I'm sure I can write them well. But I hope everyone can call me by my new name.'

 

Yah lor - like all the crazy badminton fans here!

 

Then you must bring your stamp wherever you go!

And in your case, since you like to let your personal things lie "somehere", you may need to take special care to ensure the stamp or chop is always with you. Like a small one which can be worn as a chain around the neck or on the wrist or "somewhere". But how to tag the ink pad along?

Otherwise, Yu Feng persistence to mke sure he can write his Chinese characters may well be the better solution for he can then reproduce it on the spot whenever or wherever necessary.

 

Yes, and his father is said to be a good table-tennis player as Jiawei has found out on their recent visit to Indonesia. I read that one sister is a doctor or dentist and one is married to badminton star, Candra (?) not too long ago.

 

From that news report, it seems Ronald would like to be called his new name. But it will take getting used to. Those who do not know may think that a young player by the name of YU FENG from China is making news in the badminton world!

 

I understand that that is the father's surname. Actually in Hokkien dialect they spell it as "Lim". Lin, I suppose, is in 'hanyu pinyin' or mandarin equivalent. Probably you know that in the recent past, the Chinese in Indonesia are not allowed to use their Chinese names for official purposes. So most of them adopted Indonesian names and not a few of the younger generations of Chinese Indonesian forget their Chinese surnames. Many are not able to write in Chinese if they do not have private tuition in Chinese at home.

But sometimes I wonder how great Indonesian shuttlers like Liem Siew King can still manage to use their Chinese names. Fung Permadi, who has since moved to Taiwan, probably has Fung as his Chinese surname but a host of others like the maestro, Rudy Hartono, Heryanto Arbi, Candra Wijaya, etc, still retain their Indonesian names.

I read that the Indonesian government has recently eased the study of Chinese by Indonesian Chinese, possibly because of the emergence of China as an economic power and the need to know Chinese to do business in China.