As we all know, Mr. Cai Yuanpei was originally a Hanlin of the late Qing Dynasty. He entered the priesthood in mid-1892 and was only 27 years old when he became the editor of the Hanlin Academy in 1894. Such a brilliant experience in the imperial examination, for him, the most logical life path is to become a high-ranking official and important minister of the Qing court. However, after the practice of the Penghu Reform Law in 1898, he was very disappointed in the Qing court, so he resigned from the position of editor of the Hanlin Academy that many people dreamed of and returned to Shaoxing to run a new school. Later, in 1901, he went to Shanghai, first taught at Nanyang Public School, and then founded the China Education Association, the Patriotic Society, and the Patriotic Women's School. It was during this period that he completed the major transformation of his life from Hanlin of the Qing Dynasty to a revolutionary. The completion of this transformation has a lot to do with the era, city, and circle of friends that Cai Yuanpei was in at that time, which is the result of the so-called "time, place, people" and other comprehensive factors.
Cai Yuanpei (1868-1940)
Let's start with the time of day. Cai Yuanpei had no hope for the Qing Dynasty at the time of the death of the "Six Gentlemen of Penghu". He believes that "the Beijing government is hopeless." When he went to Nanyang Public School to teach and then founded the Patriotic Women's School and the Patriotic Society, the Boxer Rebellion and the subsequent "Eight-Power Alliance Invaded Beijing" incident occurred in Beijing, and the international prestige of the Qing Dynasty and the prestige in the hearts of the Chinese people had fallen to a historical low. The revolutionary idea of "taking the Manchu Qing and replacing it" was already quite popular at the beginning of the 20th century. The Xinhai Revolution led by Dr. Sun Yat-sen has gradually become well known. It was at this stage that Cai Yuanpei became a revolutionary.
After saying the location. Shanghai was officially opened in 1843 and subsequently became the first concession in modern Chinese history in 1845. The Shanghai Concession became an excellent place for many revolutionaries to spread revolutionary ideas, organize revolutionary activities, and evade capture. It can be seen that it is no accident that Cai Yuanpei completed the transformation from the Qing Dynasty hanlin to the revolutionary party in Shanghai.
And then there are people. After coming to Shanghai from Shaoxing, the people Cai Yuanpei befriended were very different from before. Compared with Shaoxing, Cai Yuanpei is undoubtedly easier to find like-minded people in Shanghai's "Ten Mile Ocean Field", and these literati who are dissatisfied with the Qing Dynasty's rule gather together to forge ahead with each other, and it is easier to spark ideas. In order to illustrate this matter, we may wish to look at Cai Yuanpei's "circle of friends" during this period and understand the people he befriended.
Let's start with Wu Zhihui. Cai Yuanpei met Wu Zhihui in December 1901. At that time, it was a good friend Zhang Yuanji who invited guests to dinner, and Cai and Wu met at the banquet. Two days later, Cai Yuanpei visited Wu Zhihui's residence, and the two became good friends.
Wu Zhihui (1865-1953)
Wu Zhihui was born in 1865 to a small merchant family in Xueyanqiao Town, Wujin, Jiangsu Province, and as a child, he played in the small tea house opened by his family all day long. The tea house entertains literati and inkers, three religions and nine streams, and after a long time of contact, Wu Zhihui is also quite sophisticated.
Wu Zhihui is a genius. At the age of 18, he set up his own school to teach apprentices, and when he took the township examination at the age of 26, the chief examiner appreciated his scriptures. His poems were written in general, but they could be ingenious and written in seal characters, which was deeply favored by the chief examiner and was selected.
Wu Zhihui's greatest characteristic is not his learning, but his ability to play pranks. He grew up having fun with pranks and once climbed up a neighborhood chimney to defecate. Two things are enough to illustrate Wu Zhihui's "rebellion". One thing was that when Jiangyin Zhixian passed through the Confucius Temple and did not get off the palanquin, Wu Zhihui thought that the parents and officials were "not holy and incompetent" and insulted Swen, so he led his fellow window Niu Yongjian and others to throw stones and bricks into the palanquin, smashed the county nose and blue face, and drank and ordered the servants to arrest Wu Zhihui back to Yamen. However, according to the laws of the Great Qing Dynasty, the person who is at the same level as ZhiXian is the latter, and the latter arrests the former in violation of the "King's Law". Zhixian was bored with himself, so he had to apologize to Wu Zhihui and send Wu back with the palanquin to calm things down. Another thing is that after Yang Yi, a scholar in Jiangsu Province, took office, he openly ate flowers and wine when he feasted on relatives and friends. Wu Zhihui thought that the top education chief of a province was so vulgar and unorthodox, so he invited Ji Tian Qitian and others to insert pine branches and carrots on their heads, hold straw paper, and pretend to be a funny face, and stop Yang Yi in front of the public and shouted: "When the students meet the adults, please enjoy three glasses of flower wine." After saying that, he deliberately fell to the ground, limbs to the sky, leading the attention of passers-by, and out of Yang Yi's ugliness.
Wu Zhihui dared to come forward in everything, and there was a great taste of imagination. He took the lead in making a big fuss about the Chinese legation in Japan and made him famous overnight. In 1901, Wu Zhihui went to Japan to study, and 9 of their classmates wanted to transfer to the Japanese Chengwu School to study military. The transfer of schools requires the guarantee of the Chinese Minister in Japan. However, Cai Jun, the minister in Japan at the time, was not willing to vouch for them, so he used the excuse to prevaricate. In 1902, Wu Zhihui gathered 26 international students in a fit of rage, petitioned the Chinese legation in Japan, and laughed and cursed Cai Jun, sarcastically and sarcastically. Cai Jun was very angry, and the consequences were very serious. He secretly colluded with the Japanese police station to detain Wu Zhihui and others for one night. The Japanese police department also expelled Wu Zhihui from the country under the pretext of "obstructing public order" and was limited to leaving on the same day. Japanese police escorted Wu to the train station. Passing through a hole bridge on the way, Wu Zhihui took advantage of his lack of preparation and jumped into the river, and was later rescued by the Japanese police and forcibly repatriated. As he was about to board the bus, hundreds of japanese students sent him off, and Liang Qichao, who was in Yokohama at the time, also came to say goodbye. Cai Yuanpei, who works at Nanyang Public School, is just in Japan to study education, and he is afraid that Wu Zhihui still can't think of it and will commit suicide, so he decides to return to China in advance to accompany Wu Zhihui. The depth of the friendship between the two can be seen from this.
After the establishment of the Patriotic Society, Cai Yuanpei served as the manager and Wu Zhihui served as the superintendent. Subsequently, the Patriotic Society cooperated with "Su Bao", and Cai Yuanpei and Wu Zhihui were also the contributors of "Su Bao". Later, Wu Zhihui published many articles advocating revolution, scolding Empress Dowager Cixi and the Guangxu Emperor. Later, people called him cai yuanpei, Li Shizeng, and Zhang Jingjiang as the "four elders of the Republic of China".
Zhang Taiyan (1869-1936)
Let's talk about Zhang Taiyan. Zhang Taiyan was born in 1869 to a declining family in Cangqian Township, Dongxiang, Yuhang County, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Influenced by the nationalism of his grandfather and maternal grandfather, he planted the ideological seed of "anti-Qing and Manchu" from an early age. When Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao, and others initiated the restoration and reform of the law, he participated in the restoration movement and wrote articles for the "Times" to advocate the change. After the failure of the Restoration, he was wanted by the Qing court and exiled to Japan.
Among the revolutionaries, Zhang Taiyan was the most learned person. Lu Xun, Zhou Zuoren, Qian Xuantong, Liu Wendian, Xu Shousheng, Huang Kan, Ma Yuzao... These famous cultures have all studied under Zhang Taiyan. He was a scholar and a strong personality, and he was not afraid of the sky, and wrote an article in the "Su Bao" that he openly called the Guangxu Emperor a "clown". He attacked the Qing court for having "firepower" and was also "out of tune" within the revolutionary party, first at odds with Wu Zhihui and later with Sun Yat-sen. In 1915, he was imprisoned by Yuan Shikai at the Longquan Temple in Beijing. During the period of confinement, Yuan Shikai forced him to write a "letter of persuasion" in favor of Yuan Shikai's claim to the title of emperor, and he took the opportunity to write an article scolding Yuan Shikai for "neglecting ambitions, vainly usurping the throne, not only the rebellion of the Republic of China, but also the sinners of the qing chamber." Yuan Shikai was so angry that he smoked, while the people of the time admired Zhang Taiyan's backbone and called him "the balance of the Republic of China".
After Zhang Taiyan's death, Mr. Lu Xun wrote an article entitled "On the Two or Three Things About Mr. Zhang Taiyan" to commemorate his teacher, which said: "Considering his life, he used the great medal as a fan, and when he came to the door of the presidential palace, he criticized Yuan Shikai's harboring evil intentions, and there was no second person in the world; seven were hunted down, three were imprisoned, and the revolutionary aspirations were finally unyielding, and there was no second person in the world." This is the spirit of the sages and the exemplars of the future generations. "Mr. Lu Xun's vision is extremely high, and it is not easy for Mr. Zhang Taiyan to get such a high evaluation from Mr. Lu Xun."
Zhang Yuanji (1867-1959)
Zhang Yuanji was also a friend of Cai Yuanpei's contacts during this period. Cai Yuanpei and Zhang Yuanji were both Qing Dynasty Hanlin Yuanjishi. Zhang Yuanji was dismissed from his post after participating in the restoration and reform of the law, and "never used it". Later, Li Hongzhang regretted his talents and introduced him to Sheng Xuanhuai, who hired him as the head of the Nanyang Public School Translation Academy. In 1902, Zhang Yuanji took a stake in the Commercial Press and recommended Cai Yuanpei as the director of the Compilation Institute. At that time, it was just in time for the Qing court to promulgate a new academic system, and new teaching materials were urgently needed in various places. Cai Yuanpei and others then initiated the establishment of the China Education Association in Shanghai to edit textbooks on Chinese language, history, geography and other textbooks, which set a precedent for the Commercial Press to compile and print textbooks.
Later, Zhang Yuanji resigned from Nanyang College and became a full-time publisher. What is very rare is that when Cai Yuanpei's life was in distress, Zhang Yuanji "took into account both public and private interests" and gave Cai Yuanpei great "financial support". In 1909, Cai Yuanpei went to Germany to study with Sun Baoqi, the minister in Germany, as Hanlin. At that time, Cai Yuanpei dragged his family with his mouth, and the public funding could not make ends meet. Zhang Yuanji then signed a contract with Cai Yuanpei to hire Cai Yuanpei as an overseas compiler of the Commercial Press, and in addition to paying monthly investigation fees, the textbooks compiled by Cai Yuanpei in Germany were published by the Commercial Press.
In addition to Wu Zhihui, Zhang Taiyan, and Zhang Yuanji, Cai Yuanpei also had close exchanges and cooperation with Hartung's wife Luo Jialing and the Wumu mountain monk Huang Zongyang during this time.
The story of Hartung and his wife, Rocca, is legendary. Born in Baghdad in 1851, Hartung was Jewish and made a living as a child by picking up rags and coal nuggets. In 1873, Hartung came to Shanghai alone with only 6 silver dollars on his body. His first job in Shanghai was as a janitor and cleaner at Sassoon.
Luo Jialing was born in Shanghai in 1864, she was a mixed Chinese-French child, who lost her mother at an early age and lived a difficult life. Forced to make a living, she worked as a maid for foreigners and as a flower seller. But she persevered in the face of adversity, persevered in her studies, and learned English and French. After Hartung and Luo Jialing married, they seized a fortuitous opportunity and quickly became rich.
In 1884, the Sino-French War broke out. Under the leadership of the veteran general Feng Zicai, the Chinese army once won a victory. At this time, the foreigners in Shanghai were terrified, and many foreigners sold their properties in Shanghai, and house prices in Shanghai plummeted. Originally, Hartung also wanted to flee Shanghai, but his wife Luo Jialing thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She voluntarily sold her jewelry and persuaded her husband to give it to buy the property. The Hartung couple's "house speculation" move was a great success. Housing prices in Shanghai have since continued to rise, and the hartungs' property has skyrocketed. Soon, Hartung became the most profitable person in the Jewish "house flipping group" and was known as the "richest man in the Far East".
Rocca was a Buddhist. After gaining wealth, she hired Huang Zongyang, a monk from Wumu Mountain at Jinshan Temple, in 1901 to plan the construction of a private garden for her. The garden took 8 years to complete and was named "Ai Li Garden". Hartung's full name is Ouaisi Hartung, Luo Jialing character Li Rui, Ai Li Yuan, each taking one of the two names. However, the common people are more accustomed to calling The Love Garden "Hartung Garden".
The Wumu Mountain monk Huang Zongyang was even more of a strange man. His common surname is Huang, Zong Yang is his legal name, self-titled Wumu Mountain Monk, nicknamed Leng Xiaoyin, is a famous patriotic monk, poet and educator in China's modern history. He was born in May 1861 in a family of rice merchants outside the south gate of Changshu, whose mother, Zhao, was a firm believer in Buddhism. Influenced by his mother, Huang Zongyang went to Qingliang Temple at the age of 16 to become a monk. Huang Zongyang has read a wide range of books, not only deeply studied Buddhist classics, but also involved in Chinese and foreign theories, and has achieved achievements in many fields such as piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, garden art, etc.
Huang Zongyang (1865-1921)
Although Huang Zongyang became a monk, he was concerned about current politics and often met with some readers in Changshu City to discuss and criticize the government. In 1899, together with Tang Caichang and others, he initiated the organization of the National Salvation Congress in Shanghai, giving speeches and proposing to save the country.
In order to enlighten the people's wisdom, Huang Zongyang advocated education as a monk. In 1902, Huang Zongyang, Cai Yuanpei, Jiang Guanyun, Zhang Taiyan, Wu Zhihui and others organized the China Education Association in Shanghai, and Huang Zongyang was elected as the president and Cai Yuanpei was made the chief of affairs. After the incident of students dropping out of Nanyang College, in order to accommodate the young people who had dropped out of school, Huang Zongyang tried to collect donations and founded the Patriotic Society together with Cai Yuanpei and others.
Huang Zongyang, relying on his Buddhist relationship with Luo Jialing, entertained many revolutionaries in the Hartung Garden, such as Sun Yat-sen, Qiu Jin, Xu Xilin, Tao Chengzhang, Su Manshu, Huang Xing, Chen Tianhua, Zou Rong, Zhang Taiyan, and so on. In 1904, Cai Yuanpei, Tao Chengzhang, Gong Baoquan and others established the Guangfu Association in Shanghai, and Huang Zongyang was also a backbone member. In 1905, the League was established, and Huang Zongyang was still a member. Huang Zongyang traveled to Japan, just in time for Sun Yat-sen to be in Japan, and the two had a lot of contacts, and Huang Zongyang also provided funds to Sun Yat-sen to help his revolutionary activities. Later, huang Zongyang presided over the revival of Nanjing Qixia Temple in 1919, and Sun Yat-sen took the lead in donating 10,000 silver dollars to repay Huang Zongyang's righteous assistance to the revolution.
Huang Zongyang participated in the revolution as a monk and even became a member of the revolutionary party, which shows the prosperity of the revolutionary atmosphere at that time. In a chaotic world, and in a city with strong revolutionary colors, it is only natural for Cai Yuanpei to turn around and become a revolutionary party to gather such a group of friends with new ideas and revolutionary tendencies.
Moreover, there is an inherent logic between education and revolution that can be transformed into each other. If we want to save the people from fire and water, we cannot but organize education and enlighten the people's wisdom; and enlightening the people's wisdom and introducing new learning itself means challenging the old ideas and the old order. In other words, in an era of people's livelihood, national peril, and political corruption, the dissemination of advanced ideas and culture is itself tantamount to sowing the seeds of revolution. It is not surprising that young people who have embraced new ideas and cultures are bound to develop resentment with the old system and the old order, and it is not surprising that they are transformed into members of the revolutionary ranks at the right time. Whether it is Cai Yuanpei or Huang Zongyang, they were all people who initially devoted themselves to education, but with the deepening of educational practice, some organizations and groups originally created for education soon evolved into revolutionary groups. Correspondingly, Cai Yuanpei and others turned from educators and became revolutionaries.
【Article source: Yanhuang Chunqiu】