A student mourns Ji Xianlin at a memorial service yesterday in the auditorium at Peking University.

One day after the death of one of the country's greatest minds, Chinese paid their respects yesterday to Ji Xianlin, a widely acclaimed linguist and "national treasure".

The line of mourners was seemingly endless for the midday memorial service in the auditorium at Peking University, where Ji had once worked.

Ji, who was born in Shandong, was awarded the highest honors in literature by China and India. He was one month short of his 98th birthday. Ji suffered a heart attack at a Beijing hospital on Saturday.

Li Yun, a 23-year-old wearing a black T-shirt and a white paper flower as a mark of respect, cried after bowing before Ji's giant portrait, decorated with plants and wreaths.

"It is just not easy to bid farewell to such a great master," said Shangguan Junlong, who accompanied Li. Both are biology students at Tsinghua University.

Bouquets of flowers were laid at the gate of Ji's former compound in the north corner of the 110-year-old university. Bookstores in Beijing and other cities put Ji's works on their front shelves.

Among messages of sympathy from the public were the condolences of State leaders.

Premier Wen Jiabao paid a special visit to Ji's deathbed at the hospital hours after Ji's death.

Wen, who had visited Ji several times in recent years, saw Ji as the symbol of the nation's intellectual tradition, which some believe is in danger of being diminished.

"I was preparing for your birthday on Aug 6. I even had prepared some questions to consult you," the premier was quoted as saying by Qian Wenzhong, a Fudan University professor who had studied under Ji.