Lucien Bodard

Biography

Lucien Bodard (9 January 1914 – 2 March 1998) was a French reporter and writer on events in Asia.

Bodard was born on January 9, 1914 in Chongqing (central China) to the French consul Albert Bodard, who was stationed several years in China, i.e. in Chongqing, Chengdu, Kunming and Shanghai. He grew up with the Chinese language and spoke Mandarin fluently as a child. Later on, he moved to Kunming and Shanghai after his father was positioned there. Before he reached adolescence, his mother decided to send Bodard back to France to study in a "decent school".

His experience and knowledge of Asian cultures, mostly Chinese and Vietnamese, gave him a unique perspective on events that shook the Asia...