In the past 20 years, the author has collected more than 900 kinds of old newspapers and periodicals in the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, from which I have obtained a lot of precious materials, which complement each other with archives and documents, and can more comprehensively and systematically record one thing, three-dimensional and vivid show of a person. However, a lot of fake news and fake news have also been discovered, and a few examples are listed to avoid false rumors.
Liang Qichao's son took poison
On September 22, 1930, in the "Beijing Pictorial", the author signed "Furuo" in the article "Liang Qichao's son taking poison", Liang Yasheng, the son of Liang Qichao, is now 22 years old, has been studying in Tianjin since childhood, and is a weak scholar. After his father's death in January 1929, Liang Yasheng felt suppressed in his family and dropped out of school to seek self-reliance. However, his father's inheritance was in charge of his mother, and Liang Yasheng could not use it freely, so due to the dual oppression of economy and environment, he ran away in a hurry and left Tianjin to go south, hoping to find a way out. When you travel, you only take one errand with you, and you can talk about it. After arriving in Nanjing, the two of them stayed in a hotel, sought a career for many days, but finally achieved nothing, and saw that Sichuan capital was about to run out, and he was extremely anxious. At the same time, the shopkeeper repeatedly asked for store fees, and Liang, who was empty-handed and shy in his pocket, had a penny to stump the hero. As a last resort, I came to Shanghai from Beijing on September 5, and because the room payment could not be settled, I temporarily escorted my luggage to the hotel, and then collected it after the store fee was paid. At 9 o'clock that night, he arrived in Shanghai, stayed at the Anton Hotel, and immediately sent a letter to his father's close friend Dr. Wu Liande, and ordered him to be sent on a mission....... After seeing the letter, Wu remembered his friendship with his father when he was in Japan, so he said to the errand: "The hotel has a lot of expenses, so please come to my house to live immediately." But not a penny of cash was given. Since he went on an errand, Liang thought that he was very sure that Wu Ding could help one or two. and when the errand returns, tell the truth.
Figure 6-1 The article "Liang Qichao's Son's Poison Take" in the Beijing Pictorial, September 22, 1930
Liang thought that Wu Nai was deliberately perfunctory, and suddenly he was in a trance, and he didn't feel that sorrow came from it, so he became misanthropic. That is, on the morning of the 21st, he swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills in an attempt to commit suicide. At about 10 o'clock, when he got up, he saw that Liang was still sleeping peacefully, and there was a sleeping pill bottle on the table. Wu went immediately after hearing the news, and saw Liang sleeping soundly on the bed, and according to his pulse, he was indeed taking sleeping pills. He was immediately transferred to Renji Hospital. The hospital's rescue was timely and appropriate, and Liang Shi turned the corner. According to the doctor, fortunately, it was found early, the poisoning was not deep, and there was no major problem, and he could be discharged from the hospital after a few days of recuperation.
As far as the author knows, Liang Qichao's five sons are Sicheng, Siyong, Sizhong, Sida and Sili, and they only have names, no words, and no other signatures. The so-called Liang Yasheng should not be Liang Qichao's son, and this news may be fake news. However, coincidentally, on September 9, 1930, the "News" also reported that "Liang Rengong's son was trapped in the environment and took poison, and was sent to Renji Hospital by the Andong Hotel, and his life is still worry-free", "Liang Yasheng, the son of the late Liang Rengong of Xinhui, who came to Shanghai from Beijing a few days ago, lived in room 130 of the Andong Hotel on Hubei Road, and suddenly committed suicide by swallowing tranquilizers yesterday morning. This article is unauthored.
On September 10 of the same year, "Ta Kung Pao" also had unsigned news "Liang Qichaozi committed suicide and was rescued due to irritation, and took sleeping pills in Shanghai": "At 10:32 p.m. on the 9th, a special telegram from Shanghai was distributed. Liang Qichao's third son, Yasheng, after Liang's death in Shanghai, planned to achieve a beneficial social cause, but could not be satisfied, because of the stabbing of the stab, yesterday in the hostel took sleeping pills to commit suicide, after Wu Liande treatment, did not die. ”
Figure 6-2 The article "Liang Rengong's Son Takes Poison Due to Trapped Environment" in the News Daily, September 9, 1930
On September 12, 1930, the fourth edition of Ta Kung Pao published "Liang Sicheng's Letter" said: "Those who enlighten the way, I have read the news of "Liang Qichao's son committed suicide and was rescued" published in your newspaper on September 10, and it is very shocking that your newspaper said, 'Liang Qichao's third son, Yasheng, was born in Shanghai after Liang Qichao's death...... Wait', the third brother Sizhong is now a graduate of the artillery school of the National Senior Military Academy in the United States, he has been in the country for four years, and he plans to return to China next summer, and the second brother Siyong will return to China in less than a month, and now he is an archaeological commissioner at the Academia Sinica in Beiping, and the fourth brother is still young, and now he is a graduate of Nankai Middle School. And the contemptible brothers are all ranked by the word Si, and there is no alias, and I don't know who the so-called Yasheng is. It is obviously a mistake in the rumor, and since your newspaper has been miscontained, it should be corrected on your behalf, and I hope that the statement will be published immediately. Sincerely, Ta Kung Pao Pavilion. Liang Sicheng. Sent from Beiping on September 10, 19 years. From this, it can be seen that the news published in the "News," "Ta Kung Pao," and "Beijing Pictorial" that Liang Qichao's son committed suicide by taking poison and was rescued is all fake news.
Figure 6-3 News in Ta Kung Pao, September 10, 1930, "Liang Qichaozi Committed Suicide and Was Rescued and Took Sleeping Pills in Shanghai Due to Stimulation".
Figure 6-4 Liang Sicheng's letter to Ta Kung Pao published in Ta Kung Pao on September 12, 1930
Movie star Wang Yuanlong's home is haunted
On September 18, 1934, the Tianjin Business Daily Pictorial published an article entitled "The Health of Tan Mingming" signed by "Rotten Foot Daoren", revealing several fake news at that time. The author of this article first analyzes the true psychology of some third-rate literati who concoct fake news in order to survive. The author said that he was also a writer, but he did not hear anyone applaud his name at the mention of his name, nor did he see anyone shouting at the articles he wrote, so he was depressed and thought about fame and fortune. So, he remembered the saying that "good things don't go out, but bad things spread thousands of miles." It is not easy for good fame to go out, and it is not easy for bad news to be disseminated? No matter whether it is good or bad, as long as it can be famous, it will be regarded as achieving its goal. However, he was embarrassed again, he had never broken the law or been imprisoned, and he was still free from illness and disaster, so how could there be any bad things to publicize? Coincidentally, those days were just catching up with his own dampness, so he had an idea, and this was a good theme! He picked up his pen and wrote the title "Moisture on the Feet of the Contemptible Man," and before he could write the main text, he knocked on the door and came in with a friend. When my friend saw this question, he couldn't help but laugh dumbly. The author then explained his intentions to his friends in detail. The friend shook his head again and again, and mocked him truthfully. The friend said: "Brother, Your Excellency is neither a dignitary of the government, nor a celebrity, nor an artist, nor a movie star, as long as you are careful about your own life or death, and what does it have to do with other people! What's more, you are just a mere athlete's foot, and it seems that there is no need to report it publicly, and it is well known! Even if your foot is rotten, I am afraid that you will not be able to win any sympathy from others." How can Mr. Editor be willing to sacrifice a valuable page to publicize a worthless piece of news? After hearing this, the author suddenly realized that the protagonist of the original article needs to be famous first, and then people will care about it! Only when a celebrity is in good health can he have the value of publicity, and only then can he be sensational! Only the editors of newspapers and periodicals welcome such contributions!
Figure 6-5 On September 18, 1934, Tianjin Business Daily Pictorial published an article entitled "The Health of Tan Mingming".
From this, the author remembered several fake news and fake news that he had read a few days ago.
A few days ago, he saw that newspapers in the north and south had published two news: Chiang Kai-shek's illness in Lushan and Zhang Fakui's accident in Japan. After verification, it was all false information. Considering its origin, the former is a deliberate exaggeration from speculation, saying that the cold and cough are a serious illness; the latter is because of the attachment to the association, intentionally or unintentionally, mistook other people's affairs, came to a crown and Li Dai, and made it into a winter melon wrapped in bean sheds!
At that time, some people in the press circles said that the south, especially Shanghai, was a gathering area for rumors, but according to the author, the quality of rumor-mongering in North China, especially in Pingjin, was not inferior in the slightest. In just a few tabloid columns, there are often vivid stories that are not necessary. For example, a tabloid in Beiping published a Tianjin newsletter entitled "Haunted by Daytime" on the 11th, which was to the effect that in the early morning of the 9th, a strange incident occurred in the Tianjin apartment of movie star Wang Yuanlong. The young man and woman present saw with their own eyes a demon squatting behind a rattan chair! Wang Yuanlong was also frightened and suffered from a strange disease, vomited and diarrhea, and talked nonsense all day long, and his friends wanted to visit but did not dare to come to the door.
How sensational this news may seem! But if you calm down and analyze it, you will be surprised. What surprised the author was not the incident itself, but the strangeness of the content of the message. The author is not familiar with Wang Yuanlong, has no obligation to refute the rumors on his behalf, and does not have an opinion on the contributors of this tabloid, but is only suspicious and curious to study the authenticity of this matter. Logically speaking, the Tianjin Concession is a very lively place, and if there really is such a living drama of gods and monsters, which has alarmed many people in the vicinity to watch, and some people have seen living ghosts with their own eyes, and even the owners of the people are sick and relatives and friends dare not come to the door, they will inquire so clearly, that the matter will go to Beiping, which is hundreds of miles away! It can be seen that this matter can no longer be hidden. Unexpectedly, when the author went to the Wang's residence to inquire about it, not only did the nearby residents know nothing, but even none of the field reporters from various newspapers in Tianjin were able to pick up this news.
In addition, it was reported that Wang Yuanlong was ill on the 9th, but the day after that, the author saw Wang Yuanlong at a friend's house with his own eyes, and he behaved normally, talked and laughed in an orderly manner, and was elated, not like a patient with insanity. This is the second suspicion of this news.
To sum up, these two points are enough to prove the authenticity of this matter, and there is no need for other investigation and verification, so that it can be affirmed that the person who submitted this manuscript made something out of nothing. As for why he fabricated this rumor for Wang Yuanlong and reported the false news to Beiping at a distance from near and far? A friend close to Wang Yuanlong said that Wang Yuanlong was living in the house of his elder brother Wang Bolong in Tianjin, and he did not have another residence. His mission from Shanghai to Tianjin this time is also to seek to develop his film career in North China, and by the way, to celebrate the birthday of his brother Wang Bolong. Wang Bolong's birthday was celebrated, and Wang Yuanlong began to plan the film business. Unexpectedly, such rumors were born. Wang Yuanlong came to Tianjin, not only as a guest, but also in the social field, he was kind to others, treated kindly, and blushed to no one before, so he didn't know why he came to this rumor.
The saying that Wang Yuanlong celebrated Wang Bolong's birthday can be confirmed in the article "Bolong's Beginning" in the "Tianjin Business Daily Pictorial" on August 16, 1934. Wang Bolong is a famous man in Tianjin, and several of his younger brothers insisted on giving him a birthday, but Wang Bolong's bitter persuasion failed to stop him. It is said that the driving force behind this incident was the literati of Tianjin, who often corresponded with the Wang brothers, and they wanted to take this opportunity to "have a good day, wander outside the corpse, and put their interest in singing and dancing, so as to break the air of the long-dull Tianjin Wei". The location of the birthday is set at the Yongan Hotel, and the post has already been secretly sent, and the inelegant people who will come to cheer at that time are indecent, there are stars and stars, even men and women.
Figure 6-6 The article "The First Degree of Bolong" in Tianjin Business Daily Pictorial, Vol. 12, No. 8, 1934
According to Wang Bolong's family, a few days before the rumors, an uninvited guest came to his door, with a child, asking to see Wang Yuanlong, who looked like a beggar. They were not able to meet them because of their face-to-face appearances. Now that I think about it, is it a joke made by this gentleman? As for the reason why this news was submitted at the expense of the near and far, it was obvious that it was afraid that it would be easy to inquire about the truth in the near places, so I had to coax the tabloids from afar. The newspaper was deceived by it and fell into the name of a false report, which on the surface seemed to be burdened by the contributors, but in fact it was also suspected of its own negligence, and it was even more affected by the word celebrity. Although Wang Yuanlong is not a great man, he is a movie star and a celebrity.
"Golden Voice" singer Zhou Xuan's engagement fever
During the Republic of China, the marriage and love of movie stars was not only the focus of attention of fans, but also the hot spot of news media hype. After divorcing Yan Hua in 1941, who had been married for 9 years, the emotional fate of Zhou Xuan, the queen of the "Golden Voice" song, became a gimmick in the press industry. Various newspapers and periodicals broke the news that she was engaged to Liu Zhonghao, Liu Zhonghao's son Liu Heqiang, her rumored boyfriend movie star Han Fei, and "Drama Emperor" Shi Hui, etc., resulting in "Zhou Xuan's engagement fever".
Zhou Xuan was a contracted actor of Guohua Film Company, and the company's boss Liu Zhonghao was her "grandfather" (i.e., godfather). Before divorcing Yan Hua, Zhou Xuan had been living in the Liu family. After the divorce, because he couldn't find a suitable place to live for a while, he was still "hoarded" by Liu Zhonghao at home and not out of the cage. Liu Zhonghao has a son named Liu Heqiang, who has the advantage of being close to the water, and after more than a month of getting along day and night, the two of them can't help but have friendship. So, the tabloid news first reported that Zhou Xuan and Liu Zhonghao had an ambiguous relationship, and then said that Zhou Xuan and Liu Heqiang had a love affair and were planning an engagement, only because Liu Zhonghao opposed it and imposed an economic blockade on Liu Heqiang, so that the two of them had to give up love.
For this reason, in 1945, reporters from "Qingqing Movie" and "Shanghai Film Industry" interviewed Zhou Xuan respectively to verify the matter.
The reporter asked: Have you ever been in a relationship with Liu Zhonghao?
Zhou Xuan said: That's nonsense at all! I met my godfather in the song and dance troupe, and he has always liked children very much, so he has always regarded me as a daughter. It was that year that I got married to Yan Hua, got out of the house, lived in his house, and he treated me very well. As for the outside world saying that our father and daughter had an affair, we didn't come out to defend it at the beginning, facts speak louder than words, and now I think it's really ridiculous!
The reporter asked: So, what about you and Liu Heqiang now?
Zhou Xuan said: Until now, we are still friends. However, we have been together since childhood. I don't have many friends these days, and he comes to my place from time to time, so it's a little closer. As for getting married, it's not that the newspaper says that his family won't agree, but that I think he's young, only 21 years old, five years younger than me! I completely see him as if he were a child, and besides, he can't stand on his own feet. You think, wouldn't it be nice if we made friends forever? Why talk about marriage?
The reporter asked: Where will you end up in the future?
Zhou Xuan said: In short, I don't want to be a nun. In the future, I will invite you to eat and drink, so why should you break the casserole and ask the end?
Reporter: Can you tell me what your ideal husband is?
Zhou Xuan said: The first should be able to stand on his own, the second should have a noble personality, and the third should have a gentle temperament.
Subsequently, in 1946, the 14th issue of "Jeep" published the news that "Zhou Xuan will marry Han Fei", claiming that when filming "Deep Night" with Zhou Xuan, Han Fei had a very good impression of Zhou Xuan, but only because Zhou Xuan was already a wife, he hid his feelings in his heart. When Zhou Xuan and Yan Hua got married,
and said that he was a third person. Therefore, even after Zhou Xuan's divorce, Han Fei still needs to avoid the limelight for the time being. After the rumors passed, Han Fei launched an offensive against Zhou Xuan. But because Zhou Xuan was still indulging in the distress of the old love, he couldn't extricate himself, and he was lukewarm to Han Fei. In the end, their relationship ended before it officially began. In 1946, Volume 2, Issue 2 "Guofeng Pictorial" published the article "Zhou Xuan and Shi Huiyong Tie Bai Shou Shi Hui Wrote a Letter to Report the Old Mother's "Engagement Process"", it was revealed that Zhou Xuan was engaged to the "Drama Emperor" Shi Hui again. Since Zhou Xuan divorced Yan Hua, the people who chased her have come and gone. The news of Zhou Xuan and Shi Hui's love affair was all the rage, and it was very popular. One of them is a "golden voice" singer, and the other is a "drama emperor", they are of the same age and status, and they are indeed a match made in heaven. However, both of them vehemently denied that they were in love. But according to the true news, Shi Hui wrote to his mother living in Beiping a few days ago, saying that he and Zhou Xuan were engaged, and it was only in order to avoid disturbances from the outside world that he kept it extremely secret. This piece of news is guaranteed to be 120 percent reliable. In the end, he sighed: Zhou Xuan and Shi Hua have finally married forever!
Figure 6-7 "Zhou Xuan Will Marry Han Fei" in Jeep, No. 14, 1946
Figure 6-8 1946, Vol. 2, No. 2 The article "Zhou Xuan and Shi Huayong Tie Bai Shou Shi Hui Writes a Letter to Report the Old Mother's "Engagement Process'" in the Guofeng Pictorial
For this reason, the reporter of "Begonia" made a special trip to interview Shi Hui. But Shi Hui was busy filming "Hard Work" at the time, and the reporter came to the door several times, and everyone thought that he was preparing for his marriage to Zhou Xuan. When he was finally interviewed, Shi Hui said that the "engagement" and "cohabitation" with Zhou Xuan were completely rumors, and he only admitted that Zhou Xuan had gone to the Rafei Theater to watch his plays, and he had also gone to Zhou Xuan's house several times. But the reporter still thinks that there is no wind and no waves, and it is expected that the emperor and the queen will definitely deduce a romantic story.
There are countless reporters who openly visit and secretly investigate Zhou Xuan. In an exclusive interview with "Drama World", when talking about the relationship with Shi Hui, Zhou Xuan said that Shi Hui is really good to me, and in my impression, I also think he is a very good person. But at the moment, we are purely in a relationship of friendship, not marriage. I can honestly say that I am very indifferent to the need for men and women. Although I should have a home in terms of age, I don't care. Besides, I should be more cautious about this second marriage, so as not to laugh at it in the future. According to the news of the new 2nd issue of "Starlight" in 1946, Zhou Xuan and Shi Hui neither admitted nor denied the rumors at that time, but according to their friends, they had indeed not seen each other for nearly a month. If it's a lover in love, it seems that they shouldn't go so long without seeing each other. What's even more incredible is that one day, Zhou Xuan attended a singing party in a theater, and Shi Hua took off his makeup backstage after performing "Thunderstorm" in the theater. But Zhou Xuan came and went in a hurry, and he didn't even say hello.
In 1947, the 5th issue of the Innovation No. 5 "Shanghai Tang" made it clear that Zhou Xuan rejected Shi Hui's marriage proposal. In 1946, Zhou Xuan and Shi Hui performed in Shanghai and had a banquet together, and the relationship between the two deepened, but they still stayed pure and self-controlled. Before Zhou Xuan went to Hong Kong in 1947, Shi Hui once discussed the future marriage with Zhou Xuan, and Shi Hui later wrote to Zhou Xuan to mention the marriage between the two of them, but Zhou Xuan refused and replied that he would talk about it when he returned to Shanghai in the future.
In 1947, the 18th issue of the Innovation No. 18 "Huguang" magazine published an article saying that Zhou Xuan had fallen out with Shi Hui. Zhou Xuan scolded Shi Hua in public at that time for "losing his personality", because a tabloid source said that Shi Hua often went to Fengyue places to look for flowers and ask willows. Later, Zhou Xuan mentioned this matter several times, stimulating Shi Hua all the time, hoping that he would continue to play with the flower sisters again!
In fact, after divorcing Yan Hua, Zhou Xuan was deeply traumatized and depressed on the one hand, and on the other hand, he was more cautious and cautious about marriage. Although she was a popular star at the time, she lived a simple life, dressed plainly, and lived alone for a long time. At the beginning of 1946, she and Shi Hui met when a silk shop in Shanghai opened, because the two had admired each other for a long time and cherished each other, and soon began a formal relationship. Zhou Xuan often traveled back and forth between Shanghai and Hong Kong, and the two of them passed on the book to the bitterness of lovesickness. When she went to Hong Kong, she also asked Shi Hui to take care of her adoptive mother. Zhou Xuan once wrote in his diary: "I am both excited and frightened about this relationship, but I know in my heart that this is a man who can be trusted." It is precisely because of this lingering palpitation and hesitation that Zhou Xuan always flickered in interviews. Zhou Xuan went to Hong Kong frequently, and the two of them got together less and left more, so tabloid reporters took advantage of the situation. When he was in Hong Kong, Zhou Xuan often heard Shi Hui's lace news. As a result, the two of them were estranged by suspicion. A year later, when Zhou Xuan returned to Shanghai from Hong Kong, the relationship between the two had become dull. It is said that the last time they met, the two of them went through an awkward and long silence, and Shi Hua let out a long sigh and turned away.
In the face of scandals in the press and tabloid reporters who often harass her, Zhou Xuan was also miserable, and when interviewed by reporters, she couldn't help but blame a few words, but she was very cautious and cautious after trying public opinion. She said that from the victory of the Anti-Japanese War to the present, I don't know how many scandals I have rumored to have outside. When they write about me, they naturally care about me. However, can a person's feelings and dislikes change infinitely in less than a year? I am not a woman of watery poplars, one today and one tomorrow. Isn't it enough that they think I've been stimulated in the past? Of course, I don't blame outsiders for what people say about me. I know, it's also because I'm in good health and run out too many times. I thought that if one day my marriage was successful, and I didn't need anyone else to tell me my romance in a hurry, I would definitely tell my love story myself.
This may also represent the confusion and helplessness of all the stars of that era!
It is true that there is still a lot of fake news in old newspapers and periodicals, so when we use these materials, we must use archives and documents to make necessary research. The reasons for the appearance of fake news and fake news in old newspapers and periodicals are: First, many newspapers and periodicals are privately founded. Second, the ranks of authors are mixed, and some unpopular authors do not hesitate to hearsay, exaggerate, or even fabricate in order to pursue the success rate of submitting manuscripts and earn a subsistence remuneration; third, some people with ulterior motives deliberately distort the facts, make things out of nothing, cover up the truth, and confuse the public in order to achieve their own ulterior motives; fourth, few of the victims of those years took up legal weapons to defend their rights, but only found the newspaper office and politely asked the newspaper to correct it; fifth, there were a number of cases showing that the law of those years did not pursue the publication of false news in newspapersThe responsibility for fake news is only to hold the author accountable and fine, and the author who fabricated this kind of fake news has an extra pen name, and the newspaper pretends that there is no contact information of the author, and it is no longer enough.
Author: Zhou Licheng, Tianjin Municipal Archives
This article is an original article on China's national history, and the source of the article is "China National History".