Participants pose for a photo at the promotion event.

The global copyright promotion event for The Shape of a Life: One Mathematician's Search for the Universe's Hidden Geometry, organized by Yilin Press, took place on Oct 15, local time, in Frankfurt, Germany, during the 77th Frankfurt Book Fair.

Wu Lizhong, vice-president of Yilin Press, mentioned the company's longstanding tradition of publishing biographies of notable figures from China and around the world. The Shape of a Life is among the press's major recent biographies, and they anticipate it will gain recognition on the international stage. He said, "Professor Yau's life, achievements, and ideas have resonated with audiences in both the English-speaking world and China, and it merits a broader sharing across more countries and regions globally."

German sinologist Eva Schestag speaks at the promotion event.

German sinologist Eva Schestag, known internationally for translating Romance of the Three Kingdoms into German, studied The Shape of a Life and found a strong connection with Yau, as both use tools to communicate ideas. She said, "Shing-Tung Yau is among the most brilliant scholars today, and he uses mathematics to interpret the world", expressing her hope that the book will soon be available to German audiences.

The New York Times once described Shing-Tung Yau as the Caesar of the mathematical kingdom. Phoenix Satellite Television commented that "Shing-Tung Yau is a renowned mathematician and a deeply passionate intellectual. He is a pioneer of geometric analysis and also a poet with literary talent. He became famous early but was not burdened by his fame, and he actively promotes mathematical science in China, tirelessly cultivating talent."

The English edition was published by Yale University Press, and the Chinese edition was released by Yilin Press in 2021, followed by a youth edition in 2022. To date, the two Chinese versions have sold more than 150,000 copies combined.

In the book, Yau uses sincere and heartfelt language to share his inspiring life story: from a humble boy in rural China growing into a world-renowned scholar with remarkable academic achievements, to his determined return to China despite numerous offers from abroad, focusing on cultivating young Chinese mathematical talent.

In recent years, he launched the Shing-Tung Yau Mathematical Sciences Leaders Talent Training Program, encouraging more young people to contribute to the development of mathematics in China and helping build a strong nation in the field, which has significantly influenced China's academic and educational communities.