Yu Ying-shih

Yu Ying-shih is a Chinese American historian. He is an Emeritus Professor of and History at Princeton University.

In 1949, he was enrolled in the department of History in Yenching University. But he later in 1950 came to Hong Kong for reunion with his family. He then studied in the newly founded New Asia College, later incorporated into Chinese University of Hong Kong. He studied with Ch'ien Mu, a scholar rooted in traditional Chinese philosophy, and became the first graduate of the college. On Ch'ien's recommendation, he came to Harvard University in the United States in 1955, and earned his PhD in 1962. He then lectured in various universities including University of Michigan, Harvard, Yale University and Princeton University. He is one of the few people to have been tenured at three Ivy League universities. In 1973, he came back to his alma mater, New Asia College. He became the Head of the College and also the Pro Vice-Chancellor of University, before returning to Harvard, then moving to Yale in 1977, and then to Princeton in 1987. He retired from Princeton in 2001.

On November 15, 2006, it was announced that Yu Ying-shih was the third recipient of the for lifetime achievement in the study of humanity. He shares the prize with John Hope Franklin.

He is the older brother of Paul Yu.