Zhang Boling's "stinky" Nankai

Zhang Boling (1876-1951), a famous modern educator and founder of the private Nankai series of schools, created the famous Nankai education system. Nankai has cultivated a large number of talents for the country, especially during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the southward migration of Peking University Tsinghua university to form southwest united universities, creating the glory of modern education in China.

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In the 1930s, Nankai Middle School had weekly meetings every week, and the principal Zhang Boling often attended in person. At the weekly meeting of noon qingtang, Principal Zhang warned the students to start with any one thing, and they should take 10 words, that is, "Why do it?" How? Do, okay? In fact, his own life was almost done according to these words.

In May 1919, during the May Fourth Movement in Beijing, not far from Tianjin, Zhang Boling followed the movements in Beijing and wrote a letter to then-President Xu Shichang, demanding the release of the arrested students.

As early as 3 years ago, in 1916, Zhang Boling said in a speech in the school self-cultivation class: "Its (educational) purpose is to make moral, intellectual, and physical education fully developed, and ordinary talents who can govern and cooperate with each other autonomously to meet the needs of the times." Mr. Zhang's patriotic education bears in mind the four words of "responding to the needs of the times". Doing drama, strengthening sports, longing for the Olympic Games, and opening business departments are all because of "responding to the needs of the times and educating the country".

In 1926, the 50-year-old Zhang Boling went to Yantai and gave more than a dozen speeches in 3 days, all related to "education to save the country". The so-called salvation of the country, the country may have internal troubles, or there are external troubles - otherwise, how can we say salvation? Educators also see state affairs thoroughly. Even later, he went directly to the northeast for field investigation, and after returning to Nankai, he set up the Northeast Research Association and compiled teaching materials on the three eastern provinces -- or with the educational concept of responding to the needs of the times. Even when the three eastern provinces fell into the hands of the enemy, he did not forget. In the third year after the "September 18 Incident", the Fourth North China Games was held in Tianjin, and the Nankai cheerleaders formed glyphs such as "Don't Forget the National Shame" and "Don't Forget the Northeast" to perform, which was immediately opposed and hated by the Japanese. After the "July 7 Incident", Nankai University became the first higher education institution to be bombed. The school building can be destroyed, and the spirit of Nankai is not extinguished. Ms. Qi Bangyuan's "China is not dead, there is me" is exactly where Zhang Boling's spirit lies. Zhang Boling said: You must not be discouraged, you should stand up on your own and say: China's affairs are my affairs, and I should be responsible for China's affairs. Everyone doesn't want you to rely on me and I rely on you, I have to take some responsibility for myself, I have responsibility for the affairs of the country, and everyone says that China has me, and China has a way.

Educators are not only scholars sitting in the study, but also practical practitioners who rise and go. So Zhang Boling's mantra is "do it" - things are done, but it is not blindly done - the 10 words he mentioned in his speech in Nankai, Chongqing, are the standard. The direction is determined, as long as everything is done conscientiously, there is nothing that cannot be done. Eight years of the War of Resistance, an inch of mountains and rivers and an inch of blood. China is indeed not dead, all because of "having me", all because of "do it".

Also because of "do it", Zhang Boling spent more than ten years to build Nankai University into a first-class institution of higher learning, and Nankai Middle School into a nationally renowned middle school.

Student Sun Xun recalled in the article "The Principal's Teachings and the Spirit of Nankai" that the students pinned a card on their chests and printed the word Nankai, and other schools saw Nankai Students, cast a strange look, turned their heads, and said "stinky Nankai" .

Originally, Nankai was first built, and in the "south of Tianjin, there is a saline land, reeds and weeds are reluctant to grow here, it is an authentic abandoned land, but it is a kingdom where mosquitoes and midges breed" (Duanmu Hongliang, "Our Old Principal"). As for Nankai Middle School, the back door faces west, there is a huge puddle, and the west wind blows the stinky garden, which is a veritable "smell" - but this "stink" has another meaning: what is so great about the nankai school. This is the "jealousy" of the South Tokai, which is too good.

Zhang Boling also heard people scolding "stink", and said in a slightly Tianjin-like voice: "As long as we are good in morality, intellect and body, but it is really good, smell a little afraid." ”

Zhang Boling's lifelong dream is not to run one or two schools in Tianjin that are "good in morality, intellect and body". In October 1944, when the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was about to be won, Zhang Boling talked to the students and said, "The War of Resistance Against Japan is about to be won. After the victory, not only tianjin Nankai should be restored, chongqing Nankai should be retained, we must also go to other cities to run Nankai University, Nankai Middle School, Nankai Primary School, we must let the Nankai school motto of 'allowing fairness and allowing, changing with each passing day' to carry forward and expand. This is Zhang Boling's ideal and wish. He wanted more students to pin "Nankai" cards or school emblems to their chests, straighten their chests, and do things in an upright manner to serve their families and countries.

The most seen photo of Zhang Boling, Mr. Zhang is sitting on a chair, his hair is slightly white, he wears glasses, his ears are large, there is compassion in his eyes, there is kindness in his expression, and his straight back seems to be able to see the traces of his early military service, revealing a bit of strength and perseverance. There is strength and fortitude in compassion and kindness, which may be related to Mr. Zhang Boling's faith. I would say that education is his faith. He regards education as a way to serve the country and save the country - if the students are "fair and fair", the country is "changing with each passing day", and the school is built in a stinky place. Do it is!

(The author's affiliation is Wenzhou Dalton Primary School in Zhejiang Province)

China Teachers Daily, May 5, 2021, 13th edition

Author: Kuang Shuanglin