I rejoice, even at this moment of sadness, in a close fellowship that immeasurably enriched my life across seven decades. A few random thoughts come to mind as I remember my mentor, colleague, and friend.

Complementing and enhancing his exceptional gifts as a designer, I.M. Pei displayed an astonishing capacity to absorb Western cultures while remaining deeply connected to that of his native land. This capacity, combined with his innate curiosity and unfailing charm, transformed even the most mundane conversation into an often wide-ranging exploration not just of architecture but of the arts broadly interpreted—including even the culinary and the oenological—and of the diverse cultures from which they spring.