Funeral eulogy on the 15th of July 2021:
"I thank you all today for coming to celebrate with me my father’s life and sadly to mourn his passing, who, judging by the fullness of this auditorium and the numbers watching online, was someone who was well loved and respected.
Words alone are do not suffice to express what kind of person he was to so many: a tenacious and talented student who belied his humble origins, a faithful husband, a devoted father, a dedicated colleague, a friend who loved intellectual debate, an approachable supervisor, an remarkably resilient patient. The one thing that all these have in common is his ability to inspire us all.
My dad was a role model to myself and many others. He was the epitome of diligence, humility and patience, a man of principle, of quiet confidence and someone you could trust to be there when you needed it most. He instilled in me from a young age much of my moral compass and integrity, and encouraged in my growth and education, which he valued above all else. He had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and he sought out books when there were none. My mother and I often used him as a walking encyclopaedia. He was a man of many opinions and whilst he and I did not often share the same opinions, one could always have an intelligent, forthcoming and honest discussion with him. He had an uncanny ability to make you pause and think.
As a father, he was both stern yet kind. He did not impose himself upon me, though certain unspoken expectations were clear. He was soft spoken and gentle, never once raising his voice towards me. If he was unhappy with my tendency to put play over study, he would tell me off in a quiet but firm manner. We used to joke, if mum yelled at me, I rolled my eyes, but if dad told me off, I went quiet and listened. I think that is a testament to how naturally he commanded gentle respect. He was often a man of few words, but he showed love through deeds instead. When I was house hunting, he daily looked on the web for properties for me to view. I remember him traveling by train to Glasgow to deliver me my laptop charger when I once left it at home and we had a lovely walk afterwards. I did over 100 hours of driving practice, with him at my side and he showed great patience and voiced nary a single complaint. I don't think, looking back I appreciated enough the lengths he went for me.
My father was a lover of the gentler genres of music, often commenting that pop and electronica were too loud and made his head hurt. He preferred instead, music that invoked nostalgia and emotion, and this is reflected in the 3 pieces he personally chose for today’s ceremony: “Take me home country roads”, “500 miles from home” and sixiangqu, quite literally, the song of homesickness. As I recall with great melancholy, my fondest memory of dad was of him, sitting at a table, absorbed in one of his books, listening to such nostalgic music. He would ask me “do you feel it? The kind of feeling you get when you’re sitting in a train, looking out the window, as you returned home?” Edinburgh was always his second home. His first and most cherished home, was the home which his mother and the rest of his family resided, reflecting on how much he loved his family and how he longed to be with them. You may ask, why is such a melancholic memory, my fondest memory of him? It’s because my most cherished home, has my dad imprinted in it just like in that memory, giving me the feeling of safety, stability and tranquillity. This image of home was always an anchor for me, even as I moved afar, as I went from school to university to working as a doctor, he was my rock, weathering the waves of time and change, and perched atop that rock, a lighthouse beacon shone, beckoning me back home should I stray too far.
When I was a little boy, some 25 years ago, he had just joined the Edinburgh Anisotropy Project proper, after publishing highly cited papers in his PhD. He went on to pioneer ground breaking software that is still used across the globe today and garnered the EAP many accolades. When he passed away, 25 years later, he was still with them. He forever stayed true to his principles, his work, his habits, hobbies, immaculate lifestyle, love of music and of books, a reflection of his steadfast and reliable personality and for me, the same source of comfort many years ago as it was up his passing.
I wish I spent more time with him, absorbing his qualities and knowledge. Its only when someone who is such a constant in your life, who you take for granted, its only when they are gone, that you realise how much you miss them. Alas my rock has crumbled, the lighthouse beacon extinguished. I am incredibly sad, yet seeing everyone here today and knowing many more watch online, I take solace in knowing that it wasn’t just my life he touched in such a positive way. We all will remember him. I am so proud of how he guided me, how he inspired me. I wish someday, I can be someone who is looked up to as much as him, and to inspire as much as him did.
He will forever and always be in my heart, and I know in the hearts and minds of all that knew and loved him. Dad, I hope that you are on that train you’ve reminisced so often about, listening to the music that you’ve always loved, staring nostalgically out that window on the way to heaven’s gates, I bid you a safe journey and to finally rest in peace, from a grateful son to a gentle, loving father."
Eulogy done by Hengchang's only and treasured son, Zhoudi