第九十章《胡适英文论著：中国文学》（2）

第九十章《胡适英文论著：中国文学》（2）  butinthatyear,thechinesenavywasdefeatedanddestroyedinthefirstsino-japanesewar.therewasnoshipforhisadvancedtraining.hehadtogohometowaitforayearbeforehewastakenonthenavaltrainingshiptungchionwhichheservedasacadetofficerforthreeyears.itwasonboardthetungchithatchangpolingexperiencedoneofthemostunforgettableepisodesofchina'snationalhumiliationwhichbroughtaboutinhimandfinallyledtohisdecisiontoleavethenavyanddevotehislifetoeducation.

underthreeflags

inthoseyearsimmediatelyfollowingchina'sdefeatbyjapan,thegreatimperialisticpowersofeuropewerestrivingtocompetewithjapaninsecuringbyforceterritorialconcessionsfromchina.withvariousterritorialseizures,russia,germany,greatbritainandfranceweremappingouttheirspheresofinfluenceinchina.thepartitioningofthechineseempirewasopenlyandfrequentlydiscussedeverywhere.

itwasatweihaiwei,onthenortheasterncoastofshantung,thatyoungchangpolingwasmadetorealizemostvividlyandindeliblythedepthofchina'shumiliation.thechinesenavalbaseofweihaiweihadbeenoccupiedbyjapansinceearly1895.itwasnowtobereturnedbyjapantochinaandthentobeleasedbychinatogreatbritain.thetrainingshiptungchiwassentbythechinesegovernmenttoreceivetheportbackfromthejapaneseandthentotransferitthenextdaytothebritish.

iwasthere,sayschangpoling,andsawtheflagsoverweihaiweichangecolorthreetimesintwodays.isawthedragonflagreplacetherisingsun,andthenextdayisawthedragonreplacedbytheunionjack.sorrowandindignationsetmetothinking.icametothefirmconvictionthatournationalsurvivalinthismodernworldcoulddependonlyuponanewkindofeducationwhichwouldproduceanewgenerationofmen.andiresolvedtodedicatemyownlifetothistaskofnationalsalvationthrougheducation.

theyenschool

thisdecisionthatwasshapingitselfinthemindofayoungnavalcadetonboardthetungchi,wasanechoandareflectionofthegreatnationwideagitationforreformwhichinthatmemorableyearof1898culminatedinthehundreddaysofreform.theleadersofthismovementhadeededinmovingtheyouthfulmanchuemperortoissueinrapidessionalargenumberofedictsabolishingoldabusesandinauguratingnewpolicies.theoldempireseemedtobeatlastawakenedfromitslongcenturiesofcomplacencybythegravedangersofforeignencroachmentandnationalextinction.foratime,itlookedasifitmightbepossibletobringaboutthelongneededreformsthroughgovernmentleadershipandimperialpatronage.

butthesefalsehopesweresoonshatteredbythereactionaryforcesheadedbytheignorantempress-dowagerwhomadehersonvirtuallyaprisoner,puttodeathsixoftheleadersofthereformmovement,exiledanumberofothers,andannulledallthereformedictsandpolicies.

amongtheenlightenedofficialswhoretiredfrompoliticallifeafterthefailureofthereformsof1898,wasthescholaryenhsiu,anativeoftientsinandafriendofchangpoling'sfather.inoctoberofthatyear,mr.yeninvitedtheyoungchangpoling,now22yearsoldandrecentlyretiredfromhistrainingshipandhisnavalcareer,tobeprivatetutorinhistientsinhomeandteachwesternlearningtohisownandhisfriends'children.changgladlyacceptedtheinvitationandbeganhislife-longmissionwithfiveyoungpupils.

theassociationandco-operationofchangpolingandyenhsiuwasaveryhappyeventfromtheverybeginningofthenankaischools.mr.yenwasoneofthemostlovableandmostinspiringrepresentativesofthebestintellectualandmoraltraditionoftheoldchina.hewasascholar,bibliophile,poetandphilosopher,apublic-spiritedcitizenandpatriot.hisfaithineducation,hisopen-mindednesstothenewlearningofanewage,andhisgreatmoralprestigeinthetientsindistrictandinthechihli(hopei)provincewereofimmensehelptotheyouthfulchangpolinginbuildinguphisgreateducationalenterprises.

thelatefanyuen-lien,onetimeministerofeducationintheearlyyearsoftherepublic,whoin1918waswithmr.yenonaneducationaltourintheunitedstates,toldmethisstoryaboutmr.yen.theunitedstatesgovernment,alarmedbyarecentcaseofassassinationofaprominentchinesewriterbyachineseterroristonthewesterncoast,assignedasecretserviceofficertoaccompanythechineseeducatorsontheirtour.althoughmr.yencouldnotspeakawordofenglish,theamericanofficerwassodeeplyimpressedbyhisquietandhumblewaysoflifethat,attheendofthelongjourney,hesaidtomr.fan:ihavebeenassignedtoaccompanymanydistinguishedforeignvisitorstoamerica,butihaveneverseenamorelovablecharacterthanyourmr.yen!

suchwasthehostinwhosebackyardchangpolingstartedhisfirstschooloffivestudents.itwascalledtheyenkwan(yenschool).threeyearslater,anothertientsinleader,wangkwei-chang,invitedchangtoteachhissixchildrenathishomeintheafternoon.thiswascalledthewangkwan(wangschool).

myfriend,mr.l.k.tao,directoroftheinstituteofsocialresearchoftheacademiasinica,whowasoneoftheearlypupilsintheyenschool,tellsmethatchangpoling'steachingeveninthoseearlydaysjustlydeservedtobecalledmoderneducation.hewasagoodteacherinthewesternlearning:englishlanguage,mathematics,andtheelementsofnaturalscience.helaidgreatemphasisonthephysicalexercisesofhispupils.hemadedesignsfrommemoryofthedumbbellsandindianclubsusedinthenavalschool,andorderedthemtobemadefortheuseofhisstudents.heplayedwithhisstudentsandtaughtthemvariousexercisesandoutdoorsports,suchasbicycle-riding,highjumping,broadjumpingandfootball.mr.taoalsorecallsthathisfirstlessonsinwhistandbilliardswerefromhisteacherchangpoling.itwasthisrecognitionoftheplaceofscienceandphysicalcultureineducationandthisfreeanddemocraticassociationoftheteacherandthepupilinworkandplaythatmarkedouttheyoungtutorchangasoneofthefoundersofmoderneducationinchina.

birthofnankai

in1903,yenhsiuandchangpolingvisitedjapantostudytheschoolsandcollegesthere.changbroughtbacknumerouseducationalandscientificapparatusfortheuseofhisschool.bothheandmr.yenwereimpressedbytherapideducationaldevelopmentintheislandempire.ontheirreturntochina,theydecidedtoexpandtheirprivatetutoringschoolsintoafull-sizedmiddleschool.

themiddleschool,knownasthefirstprivatemiddleschool,wasopenedinthefallof1904,with73studentsand4teachersoccupyingapartofmr.yen'shouseandoperatingwithamonthlybudgetoftwohundredtaelsofsilverequallybornebytheyenandwangfamilies.tomeettheneedforteachers,aspecialclasswasorganizedforanumberofmaturerstudentsselectedfromthetwoearlierprivateschools,whoweretobepart-timeteachersintheschoolwhilecontinuingtheiradvancedstudies.amongtheseselectstudentswasmr.l.k.taowhoaftergraduationstudiedinjapanandenglandandhasbeenapioneerandleaderinchinesesociologicalstudies.

in1906,awealthyfriendgavetothenewschooltwoacresoflandinthesuburbanareaoftientsin,locallyknownasnankai.fundswereraisedtobuildaschoolhouseonthisland.whentheschoolmovedintoitsnewbuildingin1907,itwasrenamedthenankaimiddleschool,anamewhich,togetherwiththatofitsfounder,willalwaysoccupyanillustriousplaceinthehistoryofchineseeducation.

thestoryofnankaiduringthenext30yearswasoneofrapidbutplannedexpansionandprogress.in1910and1911theschoolbegantoreceivefinancialcontributionsfromthelocalandprovincialgovernments.endowmentsfromprivatesourcescontinuedtoincreasethroughouttheyears.in1920,generallichun,anativeoftientsinandmilitarygovernoroftheprovinceofkiangsu,committedsuicideandleftawillbywhichapartofhisestateamountingtohalfamillionchinesedollarswasgiventonankaiasanendowment.thechinafoundationandthesino-britishindemnityfundcommissionwhichadministertheboxerindemnityfundsremittedbytheunitedstatesandgreatbritain,respectively,havebeenamongthechiefpubliccontributorstonankai.therockefellerfoundationofnewyorkcityhasgivengenerouslytothebuildingandequipmentfundsofnankaiuniversityandtothemaintenanceofitsgraduateinstituteofeconomics.beginningwithtwoacresofland,nankaiwasable,inthecourseofyears,tobuyoverahundredacresadjacenttotheschoolandtobuildupaspaciouscampusforitsexpansion.

changpolinghadlongdreamedofauniversitybuiltonthefoundationofhismiddleschool.afterseveralessfulattemptsintheearlyyearsoftherepublic,thedreamcametruein1919whennankaiuniversityformallyopenedwiththreecolleges:liberalarts,scienceandcommerce.acollegeofminingwasaddedin1920.thegraduateinstituteofeconomicswasestablishedin1931,andtheinstituteofchemistryin1932.

amiddleschoolforgirlswasfoundedin1923,andanexperimentalprimaryschoolwasaddedin1928.

thusby1932,thenankaigroupofschoolscomprisedfivemaindivisions:auniversity,agraduateschool,amiddleschoolforboys,anotherforgirls,andaprimaryschool.totalenrollmentreached3,000intheyearsbeforetheirdestructionbythejapanese.

thisrapidexpansionwaschieflyduetochangpoling'sremarkableleadership.heoftentellshisfriendsthataneducationalinstitutionoughttobealwaysinthered,andthatanyschooladministratorwholeavesabankbalanceattheendoftheyear,isamiserwhomisseshisopportunitytodoagoodjobwiththemoney.hestartedfromnothingandneverwasafraidofspendingmoremoneythanthebudgetallowedhimtospendontheschool.hewasalwaysplanningfornewprojectsofexpansion.lackingfundsneverstoppedhimfromdreamingwilderanderschemes.hewasalwaysoptimisticaboutthefuture.ihaveawayofdeceivingmyself,sayshe.thatishismannerofsayingthathecanalwaysmakehimselfbelievethatthingswillturnoutallrightintheend.andthingsdoturnoutallrightintheend,andhealwaysgotthehelphedesiredforcarryingouthisnewschemes.

hiseducationalcredo

thenankaischools,sayschangpolinginanautobiographicalaccountwrittenin1944,wasborninchina'snationalcalamity.thereforeitsobjectwastoreformtheoldhabitsoflifeandtotrainyouthforthesalvationofthecountry.hesummedupchina'sweaknessesunderfiveheadings:(1)physicalweaknessandpoorhealth,(2)superstitionandlackofscientificknowledge,(3)economicpoverty,(4)disunityinthesenseofadeplorablelackofassociatedlifeandactivity,and(5)selfishness.

tocorrecttheseshortcomings,changproposedhisfive-foldeducationalreform.theneweducationmustaimattheimprovementofthebodilyfitnessoftheindividual.itmusttraintheyouthsintheresultsandmethodsofthemodernsciences.itmustenablethestudentstoorganizeandactivelyparticipateingrouplifeandteamwork.itmustgivethemavitalizedmoraltraining.and,lastly,itmustcultivateineachandeveryindividualthecapabilitytoworkforhiscountry.

allthissoundsplatitudinoustoday.butitwaschangpoling'sgreatachievementtohaveeededinactuallymakingmostoftheseidealsanintegralpartofthelifeinhisschool.thereisnodoubt,forexample,that,ofallthenon-missionaryschoolsinchina,nankaihasbeenthemostfamousandmostessfulschoolinathletics.changpoling'sathleteshavewonhighhonorsinnorth-china,all-chinaandfar-easternolympicmeets.eversince1910,hewasalwaysinvitedtobethepresidingumpireinallimportantathleticmeets.hislife-longinterestinphysicalcultureandhisconstantpreachingoftheimportanceofsportsmanshipinallgames,havebeenresponsibleforthehighstandardofathleticsinnankai.

nankaialsoenjoysthehighestreputationinthetrainingofgroupactivitiesandteamwork.themostfamousofnankai'sstudentactivitieshasbeenitsnewdramaclub.asearlyas1909,changpolingwasencouraginghisstudentsindramatics.hewroteaplayforthemanddirecteditsstagingandacting;and,tothesurpriseandscandalizationoftheoutsideaudience,theprincipalcharacterwasplayedbynootherpersonthantheschoolprincipalhimself!inlateryears,histalentedyoungerbrother,dr.pengchunchang(p.c.chang)whostudiedliteratureanddramaticsatcolumbiauniversity,tookovertheleadershipinthisfield.severalnankainewdramaswerequiteessfulonthepublicstage.underthedirectorshipofdr.p.c.chang,severaleuropeanmasterpieces,includingibsen'sadoll'shouseandanenemyofthepeople,wereessfullyenactedintheirchineseversionandwereenthusiasticallyreceivedbythegeneralpublic.oneofthestudentactorsintheibsenplayswasmr.wanchia-paowho,betterknownbyhispen-name,tsaoyu,hasbecomeoneofthecelebratedplaywrightsinpresent-daychina.

inthesphereofmoralandpatrioticeducation,changpoling'spersonalleadershipplayedanimportantrole,especiallyintheearlyyearswhentheenrollmentwassmall.oneverywednesdayafternoon,hewouldcalltheentireschooltoaspecialconvocationatwhichhewoulddiscusswiththestudentsproblemsoflifeandaffairsofthestateandtheworld.heknewalmosteverystudentbynameandtookpainstogivepersonaladvicestotheboys.

in1908,hepaidhisfirstvisittotheunitedstatesandgreatbritainandmadeastudyoftheeducationalinstitutionsinthosetwocountries.hisownmoralearnestness,hislongassociationwithchristianfriendsandhisrecentobservationsofthesocialandciviclifeinamericaandenglandledhimtocherishgreatfaithinthechristianreligionasapowerfulforceforgood.theyearafterhisreturnfromamericaandengland(1909)hewasbaptizedasachristian.hewasthen33yearsold.

butmyfriendchangpolingisneveranausteremoralist.hehastoomuchsenseofhumortobethat.oneofhisstudents,dr.lingping,one-timechineseministertotherepublicofcuba,lovestotellthisstoryabouthisfirstmeetingwithhisteacherandschoolmaster.mr.ling,thenayoungboyfromtheinteriorprovinceofhonan,calledattheofficeofchangpolingtoapplyforadmissiontohismiddleschool.hewastoldtowait,becausethemasterwascoachinghisfootballteaminthefield.afterhalfanhour,lingsawatallandperspiringmanwalkintotheofficewithlongleathernbootsfullofmud.thiswasthegreatchangpoling!heimmediatelyperceivedtheexpressionofamazementonthefaceoftheyoungvisitor.smilinglyheaskedhimafewquestionsandtoldhimtositdownatthedeskandwriteashortchinesecompositionontheolddictum:theteachermusthimselfbedignifiedbeforethetruthcouldberespected!thissenseofhumordisarmedtheyoungapplicantwhowrotehiscompositiononhowaustereandreverenthisidealteacheroughttolook.changglancedoverthepieceandsaid:good!good!youareadmittedtothefifthclass.

changpolingisfirstandlastapatriotandnationalist.hislifemissionhasbeennationalsalvationthrougheducation.hesumsuphiseducationaltheoryinthemottohecoinedforhisschool:kungneng,whichmeanspublic-spiritednessandcompetence.allteachingandalltrainingshouldaimatthisdoubleobjective:public-spiritednessandprofessionalcompetencetoworkforsocietyandthestate.

wartimeblows

asapatrioticeducator,changpolingwasworriedaboutjapan'saggressivemovementsinmanchuria.in1927,hemadeastudytripthroughthenortheasternprovinces.afterhisreturn,heformedintheuniversityaclubforthestudyofthenortheast,andsentagroupofprofessorstomakeasurveyoftheconditionsandproblemsinmanchuria.

withthejapaneseinvasionandoccupationofthenortheasternprovincesin1931andwiththejapanesewarsbroughttothepeiping-tientsinareasince1933,thenationalistictraditionofchangpoling'sschoolsoftencameintodirectconflictwiththeinvadingenemy.betweennankaiuniversityandthenankaimiddleschoolslaythebarracksofthejapanesegarrisonarmyintientsin.yet,sayschangpoling,inthoseyearsbeforethefallofpeipingandtientsininjuly,1937,thepatrioticdemonstrationsofthestudentsinnorthchinaweremostlyledbyournankaistudents.

forthispatrioticleadership,thenankaischoolsanduniversityweredeliberatelydestroyedbythejapanesemilitaryonjuly29and30,1937.fortwoessivedays,low-flyingjapanesebombersraineddestructiononthenankaibuildings.thesadnewsreachedchangpolinginnanking.generalissimochiangkai-sheksaidtohim:nankaihasbeensacrificedforchina.aslongaschinalives,nankaiwilllive.

shortlyafterthedestructionofthenankaischools,changpolingsufferedagreatpersonallossinthedeathofhisbelovedsonhsihu,whowaskilledwhenthebomberhewaspilotingtothefrontcrashedinthekiangsimountains.hsihuhadgraduatedfromthenationalmilitaryaviationschoolthreeyearsbefore.atthegraduationceremonies,thegeneralissimospokeaspresidentoftheschool,andchangpolingmadeastirringaddressonbehalfoftheparentsofthegraduatingclass.whenhelearnedofhisson'sdeath,hesaidafteramoment'ssilence:ihavegiventhissontothenation.hehasdonehisduty.

thedestructionofnankaibythejapanesearmyhadbeenforeseenbychangpolingandhiscolleagues.in1935,hemadeatriptothewesternprovinceofszechuan,andvisitedmanyofitscities.afewmonthslater,thedeanofthenankaimiddleschoolwassenttoszechuantosurveythepossibilitiesofestablishingabranchschoolinwesternchina.asitenearchungkingwasdecidedupon;thebuildingbegan.thenewschoolwasopenedinseptember1936,andwascalledthenanyu(southofchungking)middleschool.amongthefirstcontributorstoitsbuildingandequipmentfund,wasgeneralissimochiangkai-shek.

in1938,attherequestofthenankaialumniassociation,thenewschoolwasrenamednankaischoolofchungking.

afterthefallofpeipingandtientsin,theministryofeducationaskednankaiuniversitytojoinnationaltsinghuauniversityandnationalpekinguniversityinformingthefirstassociateduniversityatchangsha,hunan,onethousandmilesawayfromthepeiping-tientsinarea.whenthechangshasitewasbombedbytheenemyin1937,thethreeuniversitieswereorderedbythegovernmenttomoveonanotherthousandmilestokunming,yunnan,whereforsevenyearstheyhavebeenfunctioningasthenationalassociateduniversityofthesouthwest.

nankaiwilllive

butchangpolingstayedmostofthetimewithhisnankaischoolnearchungking.theinstituteofeconomicswasrevivedinchungkingin1939.anankaiprimaryschoolwasopenedin1940.duringthoseyearsofmostseverejapanesebombingofchungking(1939-1940),thenewnankaibuildingswerethreetimesbombed.thirtyhugebombsweredroppedonthecampusinaugust,1940.butthedamagedbuildingsweresoonrepairedandschoolworkwasneverinterrupted.

changpolingwholoveshiscountryhasnaturallybeenalwaysdeeplyinterestedinchina'spoliticaldevelopments.buthemanytimesdeclinedhighofficesinthegovernment,includingthepostsofministerofeducationandmayoroftientsin,becausehewantedtodevotehimselfwhole-heartedlytothecarryingoutofhiseducationalidealsofnankai.

ittookthewartodrafthimintopublicserviceasoneoftheunquestionedleadersofthenation.hewascalledupontoserveonthepeople'spoliticalcouncileversinceitsformationin1938,firstasdeputyspeakerandlaterasamemberofitspresidium.hehasgreatfaithinthisbodyasanexperimentindemocraticparliamentforchina.exceptonoccasionsofseriousillness,hehasnevermissedappcsession,includingthebi-weeklymeetingsofitsresidentcommittee.heseldomspoke;moreoftenthannothemadehisinfluencefeltinthecouncilchambersbyhisweightypresence.essentiallyeducationalinoutlook,hewouldliketoteacheveryoneofhisstudentstobepoliticallyconscious,thoughtheydonotnecessarilyhavetobeingovernment.

duringthesenineyearsofwarnankaiuniversityhasbeensupportedbythenationalgovernment,butnankaimiddleschoolremainedaprivateinstitution.recentlythegovernmentactedtocontinuethesupportofthethreeuniversitiesassociatedinthewartimesouthwestuniversity,ofwhichnankaiisone,aftereachhasreturnedtoitsoriginalcampus.butallhislifechangpolinghasbelievedinandencouragedprivatesupportofeducationalefforts.hewillcontinuetoexertinthatdirectionandhismiddleschoolswillremainprivate.lastoctober,shortlyafterformaljapanesesurrenderinchina,theprincipalofnankaimiddleschoolreturnedonthesameplanewiththemayorofliberatedtientsintoreopenhisschoolinthatcity.thechungkingnankaimiddleschoolwillcarryonitssplendidwartimerecord.whetherbyprivateorpublicsupport,aschiangkai-shekhaspromised,aslongaschinalives,nankaiwilllive.

atseventy,changpolingcontinuestodreamwilddreamsforhisnankai.asilookbackonnankai'spasthistoryofheroiclesandasilookforwardtothegreattaskofrehabilitation,sayshetohiscolleaguesandalumni,iseeagreatfuturefullofbrighthopes.theworkofnankaihasnoend,anditsdevelopmenthasnolimit.letusworktogetherwiththesamecourageandperseveranceasofold,andendeavortomakenankaiplayagreaterrolethaneverintheperiodofreconstructionfacingourcountry.

ten-yearplanforchina'sacademicindependence

chinamagazine

dec.,1947.vol.17.no.12.pp.25-29.

myearlyassociationwiththegestorientallibrary

greenpyneleaf