Hellmut Wilhelm

Hellmut Wilhelm
Born(1905-12-10)10 December 1905
Died5 June 1990(1990-06-05) (aged 84)
NationalityGerman
Alma materUniversity of Berlin
Known forYijing (I Ching) studies
Scientific career
FieldsChinese history, literature
InstitutionsUniversity of Washington
Peking University
Notable studentsDavid R. Knechtges
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese衛德明
Simplified Chinese卫德明
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinWèi Démíng
Gwoyeu RomatzyhWey Derming
Wade–GilesWei Te-ming

Hellmut Wilhelm (10 December 1905 – 5 July 1990) was a German Sinologist known for his studies of both Chinese literature and Chinese history. Wilhelm was an expert on the ancient Chinese divination text I Ching (Yi jing), which he believed to represent the essence of Chinese thought.[1] He also produced one of the most widely used German-Chinese dictionaries of the 20th century. He held teaching positions at Peking University and the University of Washington.

Wilhelm's father, Richard Wilhelm, was also a noted Sinologist, and held the first chair of Sinology at the University of Frankfurt.

  1. ^ Knechtges (1992), 6.