University of Virginia Library

Foreign Service Man
To Discuss Revolution

An eyewitness to the cultural
revolution in Peking during the
mid-1960's will show slides taken
during this tumultuous period when
he visits the University next week.

John D.I. Boyd, who served
with the British Foreign Service in
Peking from 1965 to 1967, will give
a public slide lecture on "The
Cultural Revolution in Peking: An
Eyewitness Account," Monday at 8
p.m. in room 308 Wilson Hall. He
currently is first secretary at the
British Embassy in Washington.

It was in 1966 that the cultural
revolution reached its climax with
the organization of the Red Guard
movement to instill a sense of
revolutionary commitment in the
younger generation in the People's
Republic of China. The movement
involved glorification of the
thought of Mao Tse tung and the
removal from office of high-ranking government officials including President
Liu Shao-Chi.

A native of Cambridge, England,
Mr. Boyd entered the British
Foreign Service after receiving a
master's degree in Far Eastern
studies from Yale University in
1962. While serving in Peking, he
rose to the rank of second secretary.
On his return to London, he
was made first secretary in charge
of the China desk at the Foreign
Service. In 1969 he came to the
British Embassy in Washington.

During his visit to the University,
Mr. Boyd will meet informally
with students and faculty. "This is
a unique opportunity to hear a
knowledgeable person who has
spent considerable time on the
Chinese mainland," says John Israel,
chairman of the East Asia
Committee which is sponsoring Mr.
Boyd's visit as part of a continuing
program to bring specialists in
Chinese area studies to the University
for extended stays. The program
is financed through grant
from the Elida B. Langley Charitable
Trust.