Ji Xianlin strolls on Peking University's campus, his workplace for 63 years, in October, 1997. [Photo by Tang Shizheng/for China Daily]

Ji Xianlin (August 6, 1911-July 11, 2009), dubbed by many as the "Master of Chinese Culture", was one of China's greatest scholars of history, ancient languages and culture.

Ji repeatedly asked the media to stop calling him a "maestro in traditional Chinese culture" but, despite the protests, the "master" title stuck.

On his way to becoming a cultural icon, Ji personally taught more than 6,000 students and about 30 of these young people went on to become ambassadors serving across the four corners of the globe.