In Chinese history, there are some names and stories that are memorable. Today we are going to talk about a character named Tan Yanhong, whose life is full of ups and downs and legends.
1. The shattering of the champion dream
In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, Tan Yanmin was a young man with outstanding talent. He performed well in the imperial examination and was unanimously recommended as the champion by Yu Qiaqing, a scholar of the Imperial University, and other paper readers. However, when the Empress Dowager Cixi saw his name, she changed her mind because of the surname issue. Because the character "Tan" sounded similar to "Dan", Cixi believed that this was a bad omen, so she ordered Tan Yanmin to be stripped of his title of champion. Since then, Tan Yanmin's dream has been shattered, and he has missed the champion.
2. Rise in adversity
Despite suffering a huge blow, Tan Yanmin did not give up. After he became a member of the Hallym Academy, he was actively involved in political reform. During the Wuxu Reform and the Xinhai Revolution, he firmly supported the New Deal, advocating that government actions should be subject to public scrutiny and that officials could be impeached and dismissed. He repeatedly contradicted the Governor of Huguang and even petitioned the capital three times, demanding that the "Diet be opened quickly" and promote constitutional reform. These actions made him the head of the Hunan Constitutionalism and the chairman of the provincial "Advisory Bureau".
3. Overthrow the old regime
As the decay and incompetence of the Qing dynasty became increasingly exposed, Tan Yanmin's disillusionment with the Qing government deepened. He decided to overthrow the decaying old regime and save China from its troubles. He resolutely joined the revolutionary army, performed heroically in the Wuchang Uprising, and became an anti-Qing fighter. His outstanding performance and excellent military talent have enabled him to win victory after victory. Sun Yat-sen was very grateful for his support and help, and regarded him as a staunch follower and one of the important generals. Later, Tan Yanmin was recommended by many parties to serve as the chairman of the Nanjing government, reaching the peak of his life.
Fourth, the philosophy of life that is not obsessed with power
Although Tan was able to step up when the country needed it, he was not obsessed with power itself. For example, when the Whampoa Military Academy was founded, Sun Yat-sen wanted Tan Yanhong, who had teaching experience, to run the school, but Tan Yanmin recommended Chiang Kai-shek for the position of principal. Even the chairmanship was given to Chiang Kai-shek. This indifference to power has led him to greater gains in other fields. His calligraphy gradually became famous, known as the "master of modern Yan calligraphy", ranked first among the four major calligraphers of the Republic of China, and he was also one of the founders of the accomplished gourmand Guan Hunan cuisine.
Tan Yanmin's life is legendary. He was born at the end of the decaying Qing Dynasty, but he rose to the pinnacle of his career with his intelligence and tenacity. At the same time, he knows how to retreat from the rapids, enjoys the present life, and has reached the pinnacle in the fields of calligraphy and food. He used his extraordinary experience to tell us that no matter how difficult the environment is, as long as we have a good attitude, do not forget the original intention, and move forward bravely, it is possible to create a wonderful life of our own.